Prosecutors to summon eight councillors over Ancol scam<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Eight city councillors will be summoned next
\nweek in connection with two controversial overseas trips made
\nlast October, Jakarta Prosecutor's Office special crimes official
\nAndi Syarifuddin said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The councillors' lawyers promised that they would heed the
\nsummons,\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
He said his office summoned on Tuesday nine councillors of
\nCity Council Commission D for development affairs to question
\nthem about the alleged impropriety concerning the trips.<\/p>\n
But only the commission chairman, Sayogo Hendro Subroto of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), heeded
\nthe summons.<\/p>\n
Some of the councillors failed to show up at the prosecutor's
\noffice because they were still on the haj pilgrimage in Saudi
\nArabia, while others said they were busy with party activities,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said the eight councillors to be summoned next week were
\nDudi Sugiandi of the Indonesian Military (TNI)\/Police faction,
\nSugeng Suprijatna and Risdianti Anna Sentot of the Golkar Party,
\nTjuk Sudono and Marjuan Bakri of the National Mandate Party
\n(PAN), Bimo Hastoro and Maringan Pangaribuan of PDI Perjuangan
\nand Muhayar of the Justice Party.<\/p>\n
\"They should front up next week. They should not make any more
\nexcuses,\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
He did not explain whether the prosecutor's office would use
\nforce to get the councillors to go to the office if they ignored
\nthe summons a second time.<\/p>\n
Muhayar claimed that he and his fellow councillors did not
\nreceive the prosecutor's office first summons.<\/p>\n
He said he only learned from his lawyers that he had been
\nsummoned for questioning.<\/p>\n
The councillors are being represented by lawyers Hotma
\nSitompul and Tommy Sihotang.<\/p>\n
In mid-February, Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja
\ngave approval to the prosecutor's office to summon 18
\ncouncillors.<\/p>\n
The trips made by the councillors drew controversy as they
\nallegedly used Rp 52 million (US$5,000) each, taken from the 2001
\ncity budget, but at the same time received an equal amount from
\ncity-owned developer PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol.<\/p>\n
At least three councillors accepted the Rp 52 million but did
\nnot go on the trips.<\/p>\n
It is believed that the trips to Tokyo, Johannesburg and Cape
\nTown, South Africa, and Sydney, which were called comparative
\nstudies for the construction of a waterfront city, were at the
\ninitiative of PT Jaya Ancol.<\/p>\n
By financing the councillors, the developer was allegedly
\ntrying to secure the council's approval for a waterfront project
\nin Ancol, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Nine low-ranking city officials have received administrative
\nsanctions for going on the trips without the governor's approval,
\nbut two high-ranking officials who are strongly believed to be
\nimplicated in the scandal remain untouched. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecutors-to-summon-eight-councillors-over-ancol-scam-1447893297",
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