REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- First Lady Ani Yudhoyono is not into any business, nor is her son Edhie Baskoro involved in the sports complex development project in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, lawyer Palmer Situmorang stated.
"Mme Ani is not doing business including with Pertamina (state-owned oil company). Mme Ani and Ibas (Edhie Baskoro) are also not involved in the Hambalang project," Palmer, chief of legal consultants and team of lawyers for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his family, confirmed to newsmen during a meeting, here on Thursday.
Palmer had invited newsmen for a meeting to talk about his nomination by Yudhoyono and his family as their lawyer among others, in connection with accusations that Edhie Baskoro is involved in the Hambalang project.
Yudhoyono meanwhile, has also been accused of conducting a "political barter" with Boediono by appointing the latter as vice president for 2009-2014, after the former central bank governor bailed out former Century Bank at a cost of more than Rp6 trillion.
"All the accusations are false," Palmer pointed out.
Regarding his appointment as the Yudhoyonos' lawyer, Palmer stated that Yudhoyono had explained to him that as a head of state he could actually appoint the attorney general to act as his lawyer, but because accusations were thrown even at his family, he decided to appoint a private lawyer.
Palmer explained that he had submitted a legal complaint against Rizal Ramli (former economic minister) for having stated that SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) had conducted a political barter with Boediono by appointing the latter as a vice president in exchange for his decision to bail out the Century Bank.
He added that he had also submitted a legal complaint against Sri Mulyono for stating that Yudhoyono had ordered the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to name Anas Urbaningrum (former chief of Yudhoyono's Democrat Party) as suspect for his alleged involvement in a legal case.
Palmer explained that the efforts by Yudhoyono and his family to defend themselves, is a constitutional right given to of all citizens of Indonesia and so, it must be respected.
