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Members of the Golkar Party said on Friday that they were sure the “big boss” mentioned by high-profile graft suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin was not Melchias Markus Mekeng, a senior party member who currently chairs the House of Representatives Budget Committee.

The chairman of the Golkar faction in the House of Representatives, Setya Novanto, said he had already talked to Melchias about the issue.

“He said he never had issues about budgets with Nazaruddin or other people, and for me that’s clear,” Setya said. “All I know is that Mekeng did not chair the committee when the athletes’ village project happened.”

Setya was referring to a statement made by Nazaruddin on Wednesday about who was actually involved in the House corruption scandal related the construction of the Southeast Asian Games athletes’ village in Palembang to which Nazaruddin was allegedly central.

But Nazaruddin said Melchias was in fact the “big boss” referenced in text messages between Mindo Rosalina Manulang and Angelina Sondakh.

“Yes, it is true,” Nazaruddin said when asked whether “big boss” referred to Melchias.

Melchias denied the allegation, saying he started to chair the Budget Committee in July 2010, which was after the budget for the athletes’ village was approved.

“I was not involved, because the allocation for the athletes’ village was deliberated in the 2011 budget revision, when I had yet to join the House’s Budget Committee, either as a member or chairman,” Melchias said in a three-page statement sent to members of the media.

“To make the legal process proceed clearly, I ask for Nazaruddin or anyone who testifies in the court to mention clearly the names of people involved in the case, including the chairman of the House’s Budget Committee, so it won’t slander others.”

Harry Azhar Azis, also of Golkar, preceded Melchias as the Budget Committee’s chairman.

“But I have yet to ask Harry Azhar, we will look at this deeply, next week we are going to start coming to the House,” Setya said, referring to the current resting period that ends on Sunday.

Melchias said deliberation of the athletes’ village construction budget was an official decision by House Commission X, which oversees sports. The discussion for the construction also involved the Sports Ministry, he said.

Melchias said that on Jan. 20, 2010, both House Commission X and the central government agreed to form a working committee for the SEA Games and Para Games 2011. The working committee was chaired by Mahyuddin, chairman of House Commission X.

From Commission X, members of the working committee include deputy chairmen Rully Chairul Azwar of Golkar, Heri Akhmadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and Abdul Hakam Naja of the National Mandate Party (PAN). From the House, the committee includes representatives from all factions.