City told to return 'bribe'

City told to return 'bribe'

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council urged the city administration
on Wednesday to return a "donation" worth Rp 250 million
(US$27,000) from Carrefour hypermall on Jl. Rasuna Said, South
Jakarta, for the extension of the mall's operating permit.

"We don't want any suspicion that there is collusion in the
extension of the permit," councillor Dani Anwar of the Justice
Party said in a hearing with officials of the city economic
supervision office and the City Youth and Sports Agency.

He said it was necessary to return the donation in order to
assure business people operating in the city that there should be
no "bribery" involved in the issuance of a permit.

During a hearing with the council last week, Carrefour
executives said that the permit for its mall in Pasar Festival
shopping center in Sumantri Brojonegoro student sports complex on
Jl. Rasuna Said, had been extended for two years.

The executives said the company had also donated Rp 250
million and promised another Rp 250 million next year to be used
for sport activities.

City Youth and Sports Agency head Yudhi Suyoto claimed that
the donation had nothing to do with the company's extension
permit.

"The company had earlier promised to donate sports equipment.
But since it was difficult to get the equipment, it gave the
money," he said in the hearing on Wednesday. (jun)