VP : IMPOSSIBLE ADAM MALIK WAS CIA AGENT

Jakarta, Nov 24 (ANTARA) - Vice President M Jusuf Kalla said he did not believe that the late former vice president, Adam Malik, was a CIA agent as alleged in a book titled "Legacy of Ashes: The History of CIA".

"As vice president, I regret the writing of the book. I cannot believe, and it is not possible that Adam Malik was a CIA agent," Kalla said on Monday after receiving Belgian Prince Philippe.

The book, published by The New York Times, was written by Tim Wiener, a journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize. In the book, Adam Malik was referred to as a CIA agent in Indonesia.

"The late Adam Malik was a person who could get along with many people, so he could well have many friends in the diplomatic community, including in the circle of US diplomats," Kalla said/
Kalla said there were at least two reasons why he believed Adam Malik could not be what the book said he was.

"Firstly, Malik's political background was not one that accorded with US interests. His ideas tended to be socialistic. Secondly, even though the book referred to Malik's position before he became vice president, it is still difficult to believe what the book says. He was one of the founders of the Murba Party. It is inconceivable that a Murba man could become a CIA agent," Kalla said.

Kalla also said he would read and study the book carefully.

"If need be, we will call the author to account," be said.