JP\/4\/kpk<\/p>\n
Southeast Sulawesi governor reported to KPK<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Another major graft case was revealed on Wednesday when the
\nIndonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) reported Southeast Sulawesi
\nGovernor Ali Mazi to the Corruption Eradication Commission for
\nallegedly embezzling Rp 20.9 billion (US$2.3 million) from the
\nprovincial budget.<\/p>\n
Representatives from the Southeast Sulawesi Pro-Democracy
\nSociety (Prodem Sultra) and Adnan Topan Husodo of the ICW accused
\nAli Mazi of marking up the price of purchasing and installing
\nfour generators for a power plant built in Kendari last year.<\/p>\n
The generators were bought from a German company, Deutz, and
\nwere shipped by Deutz Asia-Pacific from Singapore. Each has a
\ncapacity of 375 kilovolts and 10,000 horsepower.<\/p>\n
ICW and Prodem Sultra said Ali approved the Rp 28 billion
\nproject, although the actual cost was only approximately Rp 7.1
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Adnan said ICW and Prodem Sultra had obtained invoices from
\nDeutz Asia-Pacific stating that each generator cost roughly
\n150,000 euro, meaning the four generators only cost 600,000 euro
\n(Rp 6.7 billion).<\/p>\n
Accessories for the generators added up to about Rp 346
\nmillion, which made the total cost of the project Rp 20.9 billion
\nless than approved budget of Rp 28 billion.<\/p>\n
"It's impossible that they (the Ali Mazi administration) spent
\nRp 20.9 billion for the power plant since the installation cost
\nwas not that high," Adnan said.<\/p>\n
He said the two organizations had studied a similar case in
\nJambi province, where the installation of two generators cost
\nonly around Rp 2.38 billion.<\/p>\n
"Therefore, we have concluded that Governor Ali Mazi misused
\nthe money and we've asked the KPK to investigate," Adnan said.<\/p>\n
Aside from the misuse, the project violated presidential
\ndecrees No. 18\/2000 and No. 80\/2003 because its contractor, PT
\nPramindo Sapta Utama, was appointed directly by the Southeast
\nSulawesi administration.<\/p>\n
Under the regulations, any government project worth more than
\nRp 50 million must be made available through a public bid.<\/p>\n
According to the Southeast Sulawesi administration, it
\ndirectly appointed PT Pramindo because the province urgently
\nneeded the power plant.<\/p>\n
"Law No. 31\/1999 on corruption states that direct appointment
\ncan only occur during a state of emergency, such as the country
\nbeing hit by a natural disaster or a monetary crisis. Direct
\nappointment cannot be done in the case of a pressing situation,"
\nAdnan explained.<\/p>\n
Hidayatullah of Prodem Sultra said the Southeast Sulawesi
\nlegislative council had reported the Ali Mazi case to the
\nprovincial prosecutor's office.<\/p>\n
However, he said he was pessimistic that the prosecutors would
\nfollow up the report as the number of graft cases in the province
\nwas already high.<\/p>\n
"Most graft cases involving high-ranking government officials
\nhave never been solved there. Most of them ended with deals being
\nmade between suspects and prosecutors," Hidayatullah said.<\/p>\n
He said the prosecutors had previously questioned Aminudin
\nArif, who is a former head of the mining and energy agency in
\nKendari, and Asep Gatot, project chief from the agency, in the
\nsame case.<\/p>\n
But the results of the questioning were unclear, he added.<\/p>\n
Sukris Prayitno from the KPK's complaint division said that he
\nwould look into the case and examine whether the documents were
\ncomplete.<\/p>\n
"I cannot promise that the KPK will investigate the case
\nstraight away. We can only promise that we will study it first.
\nLately, we've received so many graft reports," Sukris said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp4kpk-1447899208",
"image": ""
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