Anas Facing KPK Investigators without Lawyer

Jakarta (Antara) - Former general chairman of the ruling Democratic Party Anas Urbaningrum, appeared at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday afternoon to face his first investigation since he was named a corruption suspect around year earlier. He arrived at KPK with a number of his loyalists and friends, but without a lawyer. He said goodby to his friends and walked alone to the KPK office to face his investigators. None of the members of his team of lawyers were present. Anas was charged with receiving bribery in connection with the construction of the Hambalang sport center when he was chairman of the Democratic Party faction in the House of Representative before he won the chairmanship of the party in 2010. His team of lawyers said they did not agree with KPK saying that Anas is summoned as "a suspect in the Hambalang project and or other projects." "We don't agree with the 'wording' saying Anas as a suspect in the Hambalang project and or in other projects," one of his lawyers Pia Akbar Nasution said . Anas failed to honor the second KPK summon on Tuesday, instead he sent three of his lawyers Firman Wijaya, Indra Nathan Kusnadi and Carrel Ticualu to question what KPK means with "other projects." "The (KPK)investigators could not give explanation about the 'other projects'. Such summon is not in line with the criminal code," one of his lawyers Pia Akbar Nasution said. Pia said Anas went to KPK as he wanted to ask for himself what KPK means with the words 'other projects'. Anas came to KPK after the anti graft agency warned him that he would be picked up by force if he failed to comply with his third summon. Around July 2013, KPK chairman Abraham Samad said Anas was also implicated in alleged corruption in projects other than Hambalang including solar power generating project of the manpower and transmigration ministry, and project of the education ministry. Abraham said KPK was investigating alleged involvement of Anas in the projects. (*)