"If they want to sue me on charges of defamation, it is not a problem. Please sue me, I am ready to face it," Dahlan Iskan said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Dahlan Iskan has said that he is ready to face a defamation suit in connection with naming legislators alleged to have attempted to extort money from state-owned companies.

"If they want to sue me on charges of defamation, it is not a problem. Please sue me, I am ready to face it," Iskan said at the BUMN office on Wednesday.

According to him, he named the legislators after being ready to face any consequences.

Dahlan also said that there were some people who questioned his intentions behind revealing the names of the legislators.

"If what I reported on Monday (October 5) is not considered as evidence, I don`t know if we are serious about the eradication of corruption in this country," he said.

Dahlan Iskan held a meeting with the Honorary Board's (BK) officials on Monday (October 5) where he disclosed two names of legislators who allegedly attempted to extort money from state-owned companies.

According to unconfirmed reports, the two legislators are Idris Laena from the Golkar Party faction and Sumaryoto from the Indonesia Democratic Party (PDIP) fraction.

Laena allegedly attempted to extort money from PT PAL and PT Garam and Sumaryoto allegedly colluded with PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines.

Dahlan was scheduled to meet the BK again to name another legislator who attempted to extort money from the state-owned companies. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012