Nazar left Jakarta for Singapore on May 23, 2011, just a day before the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) imposed a travel ban on him.
At the time, several Democrat Party cadres claimed that Nazar was in Singapore for medical treatment.
"Nazaruddin`s family explained that he is still ill and his doctor had not allowed him to return home," Ruhut Sitompul, chairman of Information and Communication Department of the Democrat Party said at the parliament building on June 12.
Sitompul gave the assurance that Nazar would return to Jakarta after recovering from his illness.
The KPK had summoned Nazar as a witness about two cases, namely on an alleged bribery case involving Youth and Sports Ministry secretary Wafid Muharram and on an alleged corruption case in the national education ministry linked to procurement of goods at the Directorate General of Education Quality Improvement and Education Personnel (PMPTK).
The anti-graft body had threatened to use forceful means to bring him home if he failed to meet a third summons.
The summonses were served not only on Nazar but also on his wife, Neneng, who was wanted in connection with suspected corruption in the procurement of solar power generation equipment for the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
On June 30, KPK Chief Busyro Muqoddas declared Nazar a suspect in a bribery case. Busyro said KPK was trying to repatriate Nazar from Singapore.
Nazar was accused of having accepted bribe money in a project from the government to build an athletes` dormitory for the upcoming SEA Games event in Palembang, South Sumatra.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, currently the Democrat Party Supervisory Board Chairman, ordered the police to coordinate with the KPK to arrest the fugitive.
"The president`s order to the police chief was to immediately coordinate with the KPK chief to take further actions to locate and arrest (Nazaruddin)," presidential spokesman Julian A Pasha said at the presidential palace compound on July 1.
Following the president`s instruction, the Police and the KPK have officially started to hunt down Nazar. The National Police Headquarters has issued a red notice which has also been sent to Interpol, to bring the politician home.
"We are doing our best in bringing him back to Indonesia," National Police Chief General Police Timur Pradopo recently.
The foreign affairs ministry has also been active in the efforts to look for Nazar.
"The foreign ministry by way of the representative offices in the neighboring countries has been trying to locate the whereabouts of the fugitive," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at the Presidential Office recently.
Few days later, however, the Singaporean embassy announced on its official website on July 5 that Nazar was no longer in Singapore.
"Mr Nazaruddin is not in Singapore and has not been here for some time. This information was conveyed to the Indonesian authorities several weeks ago, long before he was named a suspect by Indonesia`s Corruption Eradication Commission on 30 June 2011," the embassy`s press release said.
Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said Nazar had left Singapore on June 20 for Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam.
Prof Dr Hikmahanto Juwana, dean of the law faculty of the University of Indonesia, recently said the government should immediately inform the Vietnamese authorities that the passport of Nazar was illegal as it had been revoked by the Indonesian immigration office.
Such a coordination with the Vietnamese government was important so that Vietnam could stop Nazaruddin if he wanted to leave the country, according to him.
By holding an illegal passport, Nazar would become an illegal foreigner in Vietnam and could be deported to Indonesia as Nazar`s country of origin, Hikmahanto said.
He also suggested that the law and human rights ministry as the government`s central authority in this legal case, ask Vietnam for legal assistance as part of the ASEAN Mutual Legal Assistance treaty.
Under the treaty, Indonesia could ask for the assistance of Vietnam to locate Nazar and effect his extradition.
But the politician, who remains elusive, has continued his `adventures` while on the run.
According to Minister Patrialis, the fugitive had visited Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and China recently.
After attending a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission II at the Parliament Building on July 12, Patrialis Akbar said his ministry would continue coordinating with all relevant parties to secure Nazar`s repatriation.
The minister confirmed President Yudhoyono had instructed the law and human rights ministry, the foreign affairs ministry and other relevant government agencies to track down Nazar. To do so, there was no need to form a special team, he said.
Patrialis said Nazar, as a member of parliament, was entitled to have an ordinary and a service passport.
"But both (passports) can be revoked," he said.
The law and human rights ministry and other related parties continue monitoring Nazaruddin`s movements and try to pinpoint his whereabouts, he said.
"That`s all we know, but his last destination is still not known," Minister Patrialis Akbar said. So, the hunting down of the `advantreous` politician cum businessman, continues.
(Uu.F001/HAJM/H-YH)
Reporter: by Fardah
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
