"This is not an investigation on me. It is a continuation of previous examinations," Mahfudz said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday summoned again Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)`s General Treasurer Mahfudz Abdurahman over an alleged money laundering crime with former PKS chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq as a suspect.

"This is not an investigation on me. It is a continuation of previous examinations," Mahfudz said when arriving at the KPK building here on Tuesday.

Mahfudz who arrived at the KPK buiding at 9.30 am met the summon to provide explanations about the documents of a Volkswagen Caravelle car owned by the PKS.

Asked on PKS`s assets such as land and other cars, Mahfudz refused to explain it. "PKS only has one car. I don`t know if there are others. There is only one Caravelle," he said.

On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, Mahfudz denied any flow of money to his party from alleged bribe suspected to have been taken by former PKS chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq.

"I was asked about flows of funds from Luthfi or from AF (Ahmad Fathanah, a close friend of Luthfi) to me or to the PKS. I said there was no flow of money at all," Mahfudz after being questioned by the KPK for about eight hours on Wednesday last week.

During last week`s questioning, Mahfudz was asked to explain not only about the flow of funds but also about the ownership of cars.

"They asked which cars are owned by him (Luthfi) and by the PKS," Mahfudz said.

He said that the car owned by the PKS was the Volkswagen Caravelle. "The organic car of the party is caravelle but the other belonged to Luthfi," he added.

It was mentioned earlier that Luthfi had received a Toyota Land Cruiser from Elda Vevianne Adiningrat, a commissioner of PT Radina Niaga, a supplier of hybrid maize seeds.

The KPK has arrested Juard Effendi, Arya Abdi Effendi (both are directors of beef importer PT Indoguna Utama), Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq (a lawmaker and then president of the Prosperous Justice Party /PKS) and his close friend Ahmad Fathanah.

The anti-graft body also confiscated as evidence a cash of Rp1 billion, put in black crinkle paper bag. The money was a down payment of a commitment fee worth Rp40 billion pledged for the issuance of a permit to import 8,000 tons of beef by PT Indoguna Utama.

Juard dan Arya were arrested by the KPK on Jan. 29 at Arya`s house in Cakung, East Jakarta after handing over Rp1 billion to Ahmad Fathanah at the PT Indoguna Utama building. Ahmad Fathanah himself was arrested at Le Meredien Hotel in Jakarta.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi had said KPK had evidence the money was to be given to Luthfi, who denied the allegation. Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq officially announced his resignation two days after his arrest on graft charges.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013