Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Democrat Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin once threatened to disrupt the Constitutional Court (MK) if MK Secretary General Janedri M Gaffar refused to receive the money he gave to him.

According to MK Chairman Mahfud MD after a meeting with President Yudhoyono here on Friday, even though he was threatened by Nazaruddin, Janedri went ahead to return the money he was given by Nazaruddin.

"After I heard about the story, I told him to return the money no matter weather or not he would disrupt the MK. I wanted to see what Nazaruddin wanted to do with the MK," Mahfud said

Mahfud said that Nazaruddin had given the money to Janedri in a certain place outside the MK building in 2010. It was Nazaruddin who called and asked Janedri to meet him in a certain place.

Janedri complied with Nazaruddin request because the DP treasurer was a member of Commission III of the House of Representatives who often met Janedri as a working partner in the House.

"Maybe, Janedri thought that Nazaruddin wanted to meet him as a lawmaker," Mafud said.

After the meeting, Nazaruddin gave him money in two envelops, Janedri refused to accept it but Nazaruddin left it behind. The following day, Janedri phoned him two times to return the money but Nazaruddin still rejected if the money was to be returned to him.

Janedri finally reported the case to the MK chief. "I told him to return the money to Nasaruddin`s house in order to avoid danger and slander. Hand it over to a person whose identity is known," Mahfud said.

Then the two envelopes were sent to Nazaruddin`s house in Pejaten, South Jakarta, and at that time the envelopes were opened.

Each of the envelops contained US$60,000. After that Nazaruddin phoned Janedri to ask his reason whey he returned the money, which he said as a token of friendship.

Mahfud explained the chronology in a letter to the president in his capacity as the chief patron of the Democrat Party last week.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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