REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali (SDA) has yet again skipped the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK's) summons here on Tuesday, claiming that he is unwell and being hospitalized, the graft suspect's lawyer stated.

"We have coordinated with the doctor handling my client, but the notification issued by the doctor was not yet available until yesterday (Monday)," Andreas Nahot Silitonga noted.

The anti-graft body's spokesman Priharsa Nugraha earlier informed journalists that Suryadharma Ali had been scheduled for questioning on Tuesday as a suspect for the alleged misuse of Haj funds for the 2012-2013 period.

This is the second time that Suryadharma Ali, whom the KPK has accused of rigging the 2012-2013 Haj program worth Rp1 trillion, has failed to comply with the KPK's summons after the first one on February 4.

Silitonga, the suspect's lawyer, explained that his client had skipped the KPK's summons on February 4 due to a typographical error in the letter issued by the anti-graft body.

According to the KPK's previous letter, Suryadharma Ali was summoned to be "questioned as a witness," but then there was an explanation that "Suryadharma Ali would be questioned for the act of crime that he had done as a suspect", he said.

Silitonga gave assurance that he would submit the doctor's medical certificate, so that the KPK investigators could directly verify the health condition of his client who has been admitted to the Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) Hospital in Jakarta, on Monday (Feb. 9).

He said that his client suffered from illnesses such as lung disease and diabetes, among others.

However, MMC Hospital's spokesperson named Uci stated that there was no patient named Suryadharma Ali being treated at the hospital.

"We have yet to get information on it," Uci said in a telephonic interview.

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