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Tommy Soeharto denies funding treason
Antara News - December 16, 2016
His lawyer, Agus Widjajanto, made a statement clarifying the issue that resulted from recent reports in the social media, accusing Tommy Soeharto of being the financier behind this activity.
"Pak (Mr) Tommy has been accused of being the financier of the movement after police investigated the suspects, including Firza Husain, who has declared that he was acting in solidarity on behalf of the Cendana Family (the Soehartos). Pak Tommy knew nothing about their activities," Agus Widjajanto said in a press statement.
He stated that as a public figure, Tommy Soeharto, was certainly known in many quarters but accusing him of funding an unconstitutional activity was certainly baseless. He stressed that Tommy supports the legitimate and constitutional government for two reasons.
Firstly, he noted, Tommy as a businessman in the country participated in the governments Tax Amnesty plan to help make the program successful and paid a fairly large sum of money as tax revenue to the state.
"Secondly, he is until now a member of the Advisory Board of the Golkar Party which supports the government," he stressed. Both these reasons were enough proof to underline that the reports about him being involved in any suspicious activity were bogus, he emphasized.
Agus noted that as a democracy, Indonesia, based on its constitution, guarantees the freedom of expression to its citizens but such a freedom can only be exercised as per certain values adhered to in the country. These values are based on the state ideology of Pancasila and under such a system, no one can easily make an accusation against another or indulge in any slander.
"In view of that, we appeal to the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, as an institution that regulates and supervises the media including the social media, to ensure that reports that lead to slander or smearing someone are blocked before these are found valid in a court of law. We are now thinking of taking further action with regard to such accusations," he pointed out.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police is conducting an investigation to discover the identity of the financier behind the alleged treason plot that was uncovered recently.
"Investigation is still being carried out. We will announce the results at an appropriate time, including whether there is another suspect in the case," Inspector General M Iriawan, the chief of the Jakarta police command, said here on Tuesday.
Iriawan disclosed that the police would coordinate with the banks to find out who had opened the account that is suspected to have been used to fund the meetings held in connection with the alleged plot. An intensive investigation would be carried out to find the identity of the person, he vowed.
The police has learnt that talks were held on to mobilize people and carrying out the plot, Iriawan revealed. He said meetings were held at a number of places, including at the home of Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, one of those named as suspects in the case.
Rachmawati Soekarnoputri and seven other suspects had planned to topple the legitimate government through the House of Representatives, he noted. "We have not arrested these people casually, without having enough primary evidence," he stressed.(*)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/108434/tommy-soeharto-denies-funding-treason.
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