TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The disgraced former treasurer of the Democrat Party M. Nazaruddin, said that First Lady Ani Yudhoyono had reproached Anas Urbaningrum regarding the outstanding obligations on the laboratorium project at Malang State University (UNM) in East Java. According to Nazar, Mrs. Yudhoyono reprimanded Anas through a text message, asking the former chairman of the Democrat Party to solve the matter immediately before the issue leaks to the media.

"Ani Yudhoyono knew about Anas' role in the project from Mindo Rosalina Manulang [a staff of PT Anugerah Nusantara, which is owned by Nazaruddin]," Nazar said in his testimony at a hearing for Anas Urbaningrum, a suspect in the Hambalang megaproject at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday, AUgust 25, 2014. The text message was allegedly sent by Mrs. Yudhoyono prior to the Democrat Party Congress in Bandung in May 2010.

Nazaruddin claimed to have known about Mrs. Yudhoyono's reproach to Anas because Anas had forwarded the text message to him. "Finish it," said Nazaruddin, mimicking the First Lady's text message to Anas. Palmer Situmorang, legal attorney for the Yudhoyono family, said that he was unaware of Nazaruddin's allegations. "I just got back to Jakarta. I have to wait for my client's confirmation [on the allegations]," said Palmer to Tempo, on Monday.

Anas is being tried as a suspect for the Hambalang megaproject corruption case, after his role was brought to light in mid-2011. The prosecution is charging Anas for receiving Rp 85,5 billion and US$36,070 as kickbacks from Nazaruddin. The fund was siphoned from the State Budget through Permai Group, a holding company owned by Nazaruddin. Anas is accused of abusing his strategic position in the House of Representatives (DPR) to rig the tenders for a variety of projects.

Nazaruddin had also testified that the siphoned funds were distributed to regional branch leaders of the Democrat Party during the May 2010 Party Congress in Bandung - which he had reported to President Yudhoyono as the chairman of the Democrat Party's Board of Trustees. Anas distributed the funds to the members of the congress, which then elected him as the chairman of the Democrat Party. "The incident was reported by Marzuki Alie and Andi Mallarangeng," elaborated Nazaruddin. Marzuki and Andi were Anas' fellow contenders for the chairmanship for the party.

In response to Nazaruddin's testimony, Anas considers Nazaruddin's statement as a "massive, structured and systematic" lie. "Nazaruddin's mouth is shrouded by a web of lies," said Anas.

ANDI RUSLI | RAYMUNDUS RIKANG R.W | ANJANI HARUM UTAMI | FRANSISCO ROSARIANS