Council to decide action on Ancol scam<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city council will inspect reports detailing
\nthe receipt by some of its members of money amounting to some Rp
\n4 billion (US$425,500) from the developer of the Ancol leisure
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol reportedly financed overseas trips
\nfor six councillors last month.<\/p>\n
City council speaker Edy Waluyo said on Monday that he would
\ncoordinate with all faction leaders to ascertain the facts and
\ndecide on appropriate measures.<\/p>\n
If the investigation failed to produce evidence, Edy said, the
\ncouncil would only recommend a solution and leave the final
\ndecision to each council faction.<\/p>\n
Echoing Edy's statements, one of the council deputies, Djafar
\nBadjeber of the United Development Party (PPP), said the council
\nneeded to clarify the amount of money spent by the councillors on
\ntheir trips.<\/p>\n
\"There could be other officials from various city agencies and
\nfrom PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol itself, who could be using the
\nmoney and blaming it on (the council members),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djafar added that his faction was ready to take responsibility
\nif any of its members were proven to be have been involved in the
\ndisbursement of the funds.<\/p>\n
\"We must call on the board of directors of PT Pembangunan Jaya
\nAncol to clarify the matter,\" said Djafar, adding that city-owned
\ncompanies frequently shared the costs of similar trips in the
\npast that were aimed at conducting comparative studies.<\/p>\n
Separately, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, Audi I.Z. Tambunan, said that
\nhis faction had established a task force to investigate the
\ninvolvement of its members in the case.<\/p>\n
\"This shows our concern about public trust in the city
\ncouncil,\" said Audi, adding that the results of the investigation
\nwould be forwarded to the PDI Perjuangan's Jakarta chapter
\nexecutive board.<\/p>\n
Currently, there are 85 city councillors, with the PDI
\nPerjuangan with 30 representatives constituting the biggest
\ngrouping on the council.<\/p>\n
It was earlier reported that PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol had
\nadmitted financing the overseas trips of 45 people, including six
\ncouncillors, to Australia and South Africa to study waterfront
\ncity projects, as the company may construct a similar project in
\nthe Ancol area of North Jakarta at some time in the future.<\/p>\n
However, the company's president director Rushadi said earlier
\nthat the expenditure was less than Rp 4 billion. PT Pembangunan
\nJaya Ancol is part of the holding company PT Pembangunan Jaya.
\nMore than 80 percent of its shares are owned by the city
\nadministration. Governor Sutiyoso is the chief commissioner of PT
\nPembangunan Jaya, while business tycoon Ciputra owns the rest of
\nthe company's shares.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sutiyoso also questioned the allocation of the
\nfunds by the company as the city administration had already
\nallocated a total of Rp 13 billion from the 2000 city budget for
\ncouncillors' overseas trips this year.<\/p>\n
Most councillors have denied the allegations raised thus far.
\n(07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-to-decide-action-on-ancol-scam-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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