Former UI Rector Appears In Response To KPK Summons

Jakarta, Sep 18 (Antara) - The former rector of the University of Indonesia (UI) Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri made an appearance at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building on Wednesday in response to a summons issued by the KPK. The appearance was made with regards to an investigation into graft allegations related to an information and technology installation project at the university library. "The investigation is related to the installation of an information and technology project at the university library, and I, along with the university authorities will submit whatever information we have to the KPK," Somantri said. Somantri stated that he was working as the UI Rector from 2007 to 2012 and was acting as a witness for a suspect in the investigation, which is former Deputy Rector of Human Resources, Finance and General Administration Tafsir Nurchamid, who was also serving at the university during the same time period. However, he refused to divulge further details about the alleged misappropriation of Rp21 billion worth of funds allocated for the library development budget. "We are still waiting for the investigation process to end, and we hope it ends fast so that whosoever is guilty can be revealed and the UI can not only fulfill its duties, but also resume normal operations and pave the way for the future," Somantri said. He explained that the details of the library`s development budget`s financial statements were included in the university`s annual financial report. "The report is the university financial report, which is published annually," he pointed out. However, he did not answer questions about whether he knew anything about the library budgeting process. "We will ask the KPK about how far the investigation has progressed and we will wait for the investigation results," he said. In addition to Somantri, KPK is also scheduled to investigate several other witnesses today, including former employee of the SBU Computer and Supply PT Makara Subhan Abdul Mukti, PT Datascrip salespersons Muhammad Fansuri Tumanggor and Duenma Aliando Hutagaol, PT Ikonexi Dharma President Director Alfred Alprino Ambarita, PT Derwi Perdana Internasional Director Irawan Widjaja and PT Datascrip Sales Manager Agus Sutanto. In the case, the KPK has charged Nurchamid with violating article 2 paragraph 1 and article 3 of Law No. 31/1999 related to corruption eradication as amended in Law No.20/2001 in conjunction of Criminal Code article 55 paragraph (1) 1, which relates to committing actions aimed at enriching oneself, others or a corporation that can harm the state`s finances. Paragraph 3 relates to the act of rewarding oneself, another person or corporation, misusing office or a position of authority, which can hurt the state`s finances. The maximum penalty for such a violation is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of Rp1 billion. Nurchamid has been charged for allegedly being responsible for inflating budgets, which resulted in losses for the state, the exact value of which is still being calculated by the KPK. Nurchamid was also a former Deputy Dean for Non Academic Affairs at the UI`s Social and Politics Science Faculty from 2003 to 2007, during which time Somantri was posted as the Dean at the same school. Somantri had earlier been questioned by the KPK on 18 September 2012. The Community Fund Management`s audit results for UI for the 2009 to 2011 fiscal years, which was conducted by the Supreme Audit Board (BPK) and published in January 2012 had revealed that the state will have to bear a potential loss of around Rp45 billion with regards to the university`s two projects.