JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Malem Sambat Kaban aka MS Kaban, former Minister of Forestry and now Chairman of Crescent Star Party (PBB), and Suswono, Minister of Agriculture and politician of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), are expected to testify as witnesses in the trial of a graft case related to the 2007 procurement of an integrated radio communications system (SKRT) at the Ministry of Forestry scheduled on Wednesday (May 28).
Both PBB and PKS are members of the coalition endorsing Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa as presidential and vice presidential candidates in July 9 presidential election.
The Wednesday’s trial itself held at the Jakarta Corruption Court is the first trial of Anggoro Widjojo, the defendant and main suspect in the case.
Both Kaban and Suswono will testify in the trial in their capacities as former Minister of Forestry and former Deputy Head of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IV for 2004-2009 period respectively.
Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has questioned Kaban and Suswono as witnesses in the case. The KPK has also banned Kaban from overseas travel since Feb. 11.
KPK’s investigation into the SKRT graft case has been revived after KPK arrested Anggoro Widjojo in Shenzhen, China, in January 27, 2014. In 2007, Anggoro’s company PT Masaro Radiokom won the tender of the Rp180 billion SKRT project through allegedly bribing lawmakers and the Forestry Ministry’s officials. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)