JAKARTA. Former Bank Century owner Robert Tantular was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday as a witness in a graft case centering on the questionable disbursement of Rp 6.76 trillion (US$628 million) to Bank Century in bailout funds.

Speaking after a five-hour session, Robert said he was only questioned about general things.

"It was only an early questioning session involving nine questions," he told reporters as he exited the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Robert added that the KPK had not questioned him in depth about the case, only on the extension of minimum requirements for short-term assistance to Bank Century.

Bank Century, since renamed Bank Mutiara, received Rp 6.76 trillion in bailout funds after the government decided to save the ailing bank, fearing a systemic threat to the country's banking sector amid the 2008 global financial crisis.

However, many suspect that the funds may have been channeled to politicians to finance election campaigns.

The Supreme Court sentenced Robert to nine years in prison in 2010, after it found him guilty of issuing a letter of credit worth $178 million, disbursing unhealthy loans of Rp 362 billion and misusing $18 million.

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