Indonesian Speaker attacks trial

Mr Tandjung has refused calls to step down

Indonesian parliamentary Speaker Akbar Tandjung has said his trial for corruption is politically inspired and has accused his enemies of "character assassination".

Mr Tandjung, who also leads the country's second largest political party, Golkar, was making his closing argument in the trial.

Mr Tandjung is one of the most senior figures to face corruption charges in Indonesia.

The charges are... a form of character assassination

Akbar Tandjung

His trial is being closely watched for signs of change in the country's judicial system, described last week by a UN investigator as one of the worst in the world.

The judges are expected to reach a verdict in the next two weeks.

Prosecutors want Mr Tandjung to be jailed for four years and fined $1,100, though the maximum penalty is 20 years.

Mr Tandjung denies all the charges of helping divert about $4m of state funds to Golkar's 1999 election campaign.

"The charges that I conspired to cause loss to the state and spread lies are an attack on my person and a form of character assassination," he told the court.

"It is not true that I conspired to obtain 40 billion rupiah.

"It is not true when it is said that from early on there was an intention to enrich myself or others... these charges are heavy with political connotations."

Mr Tandjung was applauded by about 100 supporters.

2004 election

The money at the centre of the case was from state food agency Bulog and was meant to pay for food for poor families.

Mr Tandjung has denied any personal wrong-doing and has blamed a co-defendant for misusing the money.

In June he told the court that the president at the time, BJ Habibie, had ordered him as then state secretary to distribute the food to five poor provinces.

He said he only learned the money had not been properly spent when he received a letter from co-defendant Winfred Simatupang.

Mr Tandjung said Mr Simatupang, who was contracted to distribute the food, apologised and has since returned the money to the attorney general's office.

"When I got that letter I was angry with him," Mr Tandjung told the court. "He lied to me."

If convicted, Mr Tandjung's chances of running for the presidency in 2004 would be severely dented.

He has so far survived the scandal, which started in March when he was detained for almost a month.

Several Golkar members have called for his resignation but he has refused to step down.

Also on trial is Dadang Sukandar, the head of the charity.