NGOs smell graft in Ladia Galaska project<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh<\/p>\n
A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Aceh called
\non the martial law administration on Wednesday to investigate
\npossible irregularities in the controversial Ladia Galaska
\nhighway project.<\/p>\n
The Working Group for Peaceful Aceh Without Corruption --
\nwhich consists of four local NGOs -- announced on Wednesday it
\nhad obtained authentic data showing the manipulation of some Rp
\n30 billion of both state budget (APBN) and regional budget (APBD)
\nfunds earmarked for the project in 2002.<\/p>\n
"The audit reports of the APBN and APBD funds allocated for
\nthe project overlapped," said Akhiruddin, a member of the working
\ngroup.<\/p>\n
The money disbursed by both APBN and APBD for construction of
\nthe 100-kilometer road project reached more than Rp 10 billion.<\/p>\n
Governor Abdullah Puteh's 2002 accountability report of the
\nLadia Galaska project also indicated corruption in that it
\ndiffered from the report submitted by the Ministry of Settlement
\nand Regional Infrastructure of the same project.<\/p>\n
"The governor reported a total of Rp 18.908 billion of the
\nAPBD funds was allocated for the project in 2002, while the
\nministry reported a total of Rp 25.72 billion," said Akhiruddin.<\/p>\n
Puteh and Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure
\nSoenarno are avid supporters of the development of Ladia Galaska,
\nwhich has drawn strong opposition from the State Minister of the
\nEnvironment Nabiel Makarim and Minister of Forestry Mohamad
\nPrakosa.<\/p>\n
Akhiruddin revealed the Aceh administration had used Rp 3.9
\nbillion -- allocated for the Ladia Galaska project -- to finance
\nother road projects, without an explanation.<\/p>\n
Construction of the Ladia Galaska project, which cuts through
\nprotected forest, started two years ago. It is expected that the
\nproject will be finished in 2005. The central government has
\nallocated Rp 1.5 trillion for the project.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
\n(Walhi) in Aceh Muhammad Ibrahim, said the project had failed to
\nrun to schedule, despite the billions of rupiah the government
\nhad spent.<\/p>\n
"There are a lot of irregularities," he said.<\/p>\n
So far, some 10 kilometers of road from Lamsemot to Beutong
\nAteuh has been finished. The condition of the road, however, is
\nless than satisfactory, according to Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
He revealed a letter from the team set up by the settlement
\nand infrastructure ministry to monitor the project, which
\ncomplained of "intimidation" during the team's time in Aceh.<\/p>\n
In another development, the Banda Aceh court heard two
\nwitnesses in Wahli's lawsuit against the road project.<\/p>\n
The witnesses, identified as Jamaluddin and Abdullah S.,
\nadmitted they had been aware of roadwork from Jeuram to Beutong
\nAteuh in 2002.<\/p>\n
Walhi took the government and the Aceh administration to court
\nfor going ahead with the Ladia Galaska project without an
\nEnvironmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL), despite the fact that it
\ncut through protected forest.<\/p>\n
"The forestry law requires the President to issue a
\nregulation, which changes its status from protected forest to
\nindustrial area," Bambang Antariksa, Walhi's lawyer, said.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave the green light to the
\ndevelopment of the Ladia Galaska project two months ago, despite
\nprotests from both local and international communities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ngos-smell-graft-in-ladia-galaska-project-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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