Yogyakarta legislators in hot seat over bribes<\/p>\n
Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Dozens of activists blocked the entrance gate of Yogyakarta's
\nprovincial legislative council (DPRD) on Wednesday in a protest
\nagainst two corruption scandals that they believe directly
\nimplicate local legislators.<\/p>\n
The demonstration came as the provincial prosecutor's office
\nplans to summon all 52 legislators for questioning over the
\nscandals linked to a local vice-gubernatorial election\/zoo
\nscandal and a construction project.<\/p>\n
The protesters grouped in the Yogyakarta Communication Forum
\nfor Mosque Youths (FSRMY) and the Corps of Indonesian Muslim
\nStudents (Kammi) arrived at 9 a.m. at the council compound on Jl.
\nMalioboro.<\/p>\n
They immediately formed a barricade at the entrance gate
\nthere, forcing several legislators to park their cars on the
\nroads outside.<\/p>\n
\"Your salary has been raised, but that doesn't stop you from
\nstealing the people's money and even monkey food,\" a protester
\nshouted, in reference to the zoo scandal.<\/p>\n
Some posters carried by the demonstrators read: \"DPRD members
\n= munyuk (Javanese for monkey)\" and \"Free the DPRD building from
\nthe rat epidemic\".<\/p>\n
None of the DPRD members engaged in dialog with the
\nprotesters.<\/p>\n
A similar protest was also staged on Wednesday by an
\nindependent group of lawyers from various universities and non-
\ngovernmental organizations, who came to the legislature to demand
\na thorough investigation of the cases.<\/p>\n
Members of the legislature have been accused of taking Rp 1
\nbillion (US$97,088) in bribes to ensure that Paku Alam IX be
\nelected as deputy Yogyakarta governor.<\/p>\n
The money was reportedly paid by Yogyakarta's Zoo Director
\nJoko Tirtono, who admitted that he did so under pressure from
\nlegislators. Paku Alam, who won the election, controls a majority
\nstake in the zoo.<\/p>\n
The legislators are also facing accusations of involvement in
\nanother bribe case worth Rp 125 million in connection with the
\nconstruction of the Yogya Expo Center (JEC) building.<\/p>\n
The money was reportedly received from state-owned
\nconstruction company PT Adhi Karya while it was attempting to win
\na bid for the Rp 42.5 billion project.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta provincial administration contributed Rp 19
\nbillion to the project. Several council members have admitted to
\nreceiving money from PT Adhi Karya.<\/p>\n
The project was supposed to be completed in time for the ASEAN
\nTourism Conference which was held there late last month, but the
\nbuilding is far from finished.<\/p>\n
Head of the prosecutor's office Hantoro Sumaryo said on
\nTuesday he would summon all of the members of the legislature
\nsoon after he obtained an approval to do so from the Minister of
\nHome Affairs Hari Sabarno.<\/p>\n
Under the law, the questioning of provincial legislators can
\nonly be done with the approval of the home affairs minister.<\/p>\n
Hantoro said prosecutors were gathering evidence to charge
\nsuspects in the corruption scandals. Yogyakarta Governor Hamengku
\nBuwono X is reportedly in support of the investigation.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday local senior prosecutor Hendar Sutarna, however,
\nsaid his office had obtained sufficient evidence to back up the
\naccusations. He refused to elaborate further, however.<\/p>\n
Senior legislator Djuwarto, chairman of Yogyakarta's
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said on
\nWednesday he was ready to respond to a summons by the
\nprosecutor's office and that he supported the probe to rid the
\ncouncil of corrupt people.<\/p>\n
\"I have instructed all PDI Perjuangan members to quickly form
\na team to probe the cases, so the culprits can be dragged into
\ncourt, even if some of them come from our party,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djuwarto admitted he had received a Rp 5 million bribe, but
\nsaid he wanted to keep it as evidence until the investigators
\nasked him for it.<\/p>\n
But Hendar urged Djuwarto to be \"proactive\" by voluntarily
\nsurrendering the money to his office.<\/p>",
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