Council grills developer over alleged corruption<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The City Council questioned PT Duta Pertiwi on
\nFriday over the development permit for a three-story shopping
\ncomplex on a pedestrian overpass that connects ITC Shopping
\nCenter and Mangga Dua Mall in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In a hearing between executives of the company and members of
\nthe council's Commission D for public works, development and
\nenvironmental affairs, the councillors accused the private
\ndeveloper, which developed and owns the overpass, of bribing city
\nofficials in an effort to obtain a permit.<\/p>\n
None of the councillors elaborated any further on the
\nallegation.<\/p>\n
During the meeting led by commission chairman Sayogo
\nHendrosubroto, an executive of Duta Pertiwi, Stevanus Hartono,
\ndenied the accusation, saying that the money given to the city
\nadministration was simply a kind of \"contribution\".<\/p>\n
The money, he said, consisted of a \"good will fee\" worth Rp
\n500 million, control and maintenance cost of Rp 450 million,
\n\"compensation fund\" for the poor worth Rp 144,788 million, and
\nanother contribution of Rp 900 million, which would be paid in
\ninstallments until 2010.<\/p>\n
Stevanus did not reveal any names to who received the money.<\/p>\n
Separately, the chairman of Commission C for city revenue,
\nAmarullah Asbah, urged the city administration to publicly
\ndisclose the case.<\/p>\n
\"What exactly is 'good-will money'? Which rules stipulate a
\ndeveloper has to pay that much? There are no rules about it,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Amarullah also suggested that City Bylaw No. 7\/1991 on
\nbuilding regulations be renewed because it did not regulate
\nbuildings which were constructed above street level.<\/p>\n
Stevanus said his company obtained the permit issued by the
\ngovernor on April 30 last year.<\/p>\n
Councillor Saud Rahman, who is also the deputy chairman of the
\ncommission, asked about the safety of the construction.<\/p>\n
\"The bridge is simply an overpass. Won't it be dangerous for
\nmotorists passing underneath if there are 192 shops built on it?\"
\nSaud asked.<\/p>\n
Stevanus replied: \"The proposal from the beginning was to
\nbuild an overpass which also has shops on it.<\/p>\n
\"The construction is safe and will not pose a hazard to
\nmotorists,\" he said. (09)<\/p>",
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