Collusion practice at mayoralty investigated

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta's inspectorate office is currently investigating a report on collusion, corruption, cronyism and nepotism allegedly exercised by some officials in the mayoralty, an official said.

Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur said on Tuesday the investigation started last Friday after receiving a report from a group of people calling themselves the Anti KKN (collusion, corruption and nepotism) Communication Forum in Jakarta.

"I gave the team two weeks to complete their investigations and prove whether or not the officials have really been involved in such practices," he said.

He told reporters that the forum believed many officials in the mayoralty, ranging from secretaries to subdistrict heads, had acquired their positions through collusion, corruption, cronyism and nepotism.

Andi said the team was allowed to interrogate any officials, including he himself, in a bid to get a clearer picture of the matter.

"But the team has not questioned any officials yet. I instructed the team to study the report thoroughly before going on with the next stage in the procedure," he said.

Proper administrative sanctions would be imposed on officials who were found to be involved in such practices, Andi added.

Members of the forum also suspect that during the last two years many of the mayoralty's projects have been awarded through closed bids to specific companies, namely PT Sultan Agung, PT Balekambang and PT Karya Timur Jaya, which are allegedly owned by the mayoralty's secretary, Chaerunnas Yusuf.

They alleged that the companies had won at least 21 projects with a total value of Rp 6.9 billion.

The forum demanded that the Central Jakarta mayor investigate the allegations and disclose the results openly to public. (cst)