Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday questioned Southeast Sulawesi Governor Nur Alam as a suspect in an alleged graft case related to the issuance of a mining permit.

"Let us wait what the questioning will look like," Ahmad Rifai, Nur Alams lawyer, said at the KPK building here on Wednesday.

Nur Alam showed up at the KPK building but he refused to comment on the questioning.

The anti-graft body has not detained Nur Alam although it has named him as a suspect since August 2016.

"It is not a matter of detention but we will clarify what KPK investigators have served a summons on him. These all are still based on the presumption of innocence," Rifai said.

Earlier, Nur Alam filed a request for a pretrial motion with the South Jakarta district court but sole judge I Wayan Karya rejected it on October 12. 2016.

KPK has named Nur Alam as a suspect for allegedly abusing his power to enrich himself or other people by issuing a decision approving mining reserves for exploration and a decision upgrading an exploration permit to operation production permit to nickel mining company PT Anugerah Harisma Barakah operating in the districts of Buton and Bombana, Southeast Sulawesi.

He is charged with violating article 2 paragraph 1 or article 3 of Law No. 31/1999 as amended by Law No, 20/2001 concerning corruption eradication and article 55 paragraph 1 of the Penal Code.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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