Another Politician Detained By Anti-Graft Agency

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - One more politician has been detained by anti-graft agency KPK for interrogation in connection with a graft case involving a project to purchase Koran books for the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

"The KPK has detained Zulkarnaen Djabar for investigation purposes for 20 days starting today," KPK spokesman Johan Budi said here on Friday.

The politician from Golkar Party is alleged to have violated articles of Law No. 31 of 1999 on Corruption.

"In the course of our investigation, we have come to suspect that Zulkarnaen Djabar and Dendy Prasetya (Zulkarnaen's son) received more than Rp10 billion in connection with the corruption case. Although it has yet to be verified in court," Johan stated.

When being taken to the detention cell, Zulkarnaen - who is a member of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives - said the "principle of the presumption of innocence must be upheld". "I have cooperated with KPK so far by following all the procedures," he added.

Zulkarnaen denied the involvement of his son, who was president director of PT Perkasa Jaya Abadi Nusantara, in the case. "My son's company did not take part in the tender," he said.

Zulkarnaen and Dendy have been named suspects in corruption cases involving the Koran procurement project as well as a communication system laboratory project.

The budget for the communication system laboratory project for Madrasah Tsanawiyah (Islamic junior high schools) for 2010-11 was set at Rp31 billion, while Rp20 billion was allocated for the Koran procurement project in 2011-12.(*/T007)