SKK-Migas Case Has No Link With Party Convention: Minister

SKK-MIGAS CASE HAS NO LINK WITH PARTY CONVENTION: MINISTER Kategori: National News (NAT) 15:39 Jumat, 16 Agustus 2013 Jakarta, Aug 16 (Antara) - Ruling Democratic Party (PD) Supreme Council Secretary Jero Wacik said the alleged gratification money given to Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKK-MIGAS) Chief Rudi Rubiandini had no link with PD`s presidential convention. "The case has no link with the PD presidential candidate convention," Jero Wacik who is also minister for energy and mineral resources, said here on Friday. He said that it was impossible for the convention to have link with the bribery case because the convention itself had not yet begun. "If the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) finds evidence, we will follow the rules in force," he said. Jero also denied if he had met with the executives of Kernel Oil. "I do not know Kernal Oil," he said. The KPK has named Rudi Rubiandini as a suspect, in his capacity as the chief of the SKK-Migas chief, in an alleged bribery case. The KPK has confiscated hundreds of thousands of US dollars. PD politician Ruhut Sitompul said the funds for organizing a presidential convention came from the party`s cadres and participants of the convention itself. "The funds came from us or from the convention participants," he said. The KPK arrested Rudi on Tuesday night for taking bribes at his house in Jakarta. Johan Budi, spokesperson for KPK, mentioned that Rudi and two private entrepreneurs, who are known by their initials - A and S, have been arrested. "When they were arrested at the house at 10:30 p.m., investigators confiscated US$400 thousand. More cash, in US dollars, was found elsewhere, but this sum is still being counted," Johan explained. Early reports had noted that Rudi was arrested with two other men, officials of foreign oil company Kernel Oil, who are suspected of offering the bribe, with a total sum of US$700,000 in their possession.