Supporter of 'Fat Account' Suspect Keeps Own Wealth Concealed From KPK
Jakarta. The Indonesian police general who has been among the most vocal supporters of a colleague accused of graft linked to a “fat” bank account has apparently neglected to disclose his own wealth.
Insp. Gen. Budi Waseso, who was on Tuesday sworn in as the National Police’s chief of detectives, admitted to reporters that he had never submitted a wealth report to the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, as required by law.
“It’s in the process. I’ll do it later,” he said after his swearing-in at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.
He added he did not know offhand the total value of his assets, and pledged to get an independent assessment made.
“If I give an estimate, you’ll say I’m lying. I’ve got to be honest,” Budi said.
A KPK spokesman confirmed last Friday that Budi had never submitted any wealth reports during his time in the police force.
Budi, a known supporter of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, the governor of the police academy who was recently nominated by President Joko Widodo to become the National Police chief, was appointed chief of detectives, the second-highest post in the force, to replace Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius in an abrupt reshuffle last week.
Suhardi, reassigned to a desk job with little authority, said he felt he had been cut loose because he was deemed too close to the KPK and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, or PPATK, the government’s anti-money-laundering watchdog, after the KPK last week named Budi Gunawan a bribery suspect on the basis of suspiciously large bank transactions flagged back in 2010 by the PPATK.
Budi Waseso, speaking last week after news of the reshuffle first leaked out, said “There must be no traitors within the police force,” in an apparent reference to Suhardi. “Even if he isn’t a traitor, at the very least he’s unprofessional.”
The unusual circumstances of Budi Waseso’s appointment continued to be apparent even in his inauguration, which was held behind closed doors without the customary prior notice sent out to the media. It was also the first ever presided over by an acting chief of the police, Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti, following Joko’s surprise decision last week – at the same time as Suhardi’s reassignment – to dismiss the police chief, Gen. Sutarman.
In another clear display of his loyalty to graft suspect Budi Gunawan, Budi Waseso declared to reporters after his inauguration that he had long been one of the suspect’s subordinates.
“I need to clarify that I used to be under [Budi Gunawan], so it’s only reasonable for me to stand by him. I’m one of his men,” he said.
Joko has chosen to delay inaugurating Budi Gunawan, a close associate of his political patron, Megawati Soekarnoputri, as the new police chief, in light of the legal troubles he faces. The KPK has already vowed to arrest and indict him, but has not said when. The antigraft commission has a track record of never failing to win a conviction against anyone it names a suspect.
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