Councilor wants fair decision on Ancol scam
Councilor wants fair decision on Ancol scam
JAKARTA (JP): On the eve of Governor Sutiyoso's announcement
concerning the alleged misused of funds involving PT Pembangunan
Jaya Ancol (PJA), City Council deputy speaker Djafar Badjeber
demanded a fair and honest decision on the matter.
Djafar Badjeber suggested that the governor cross-check all
reports presented by the City Inspectorate and the Officials
Honor Council in order to avoid hidden interests of certain
parties.
"Sutiyoso must be clear in declaring the truth and properly
punishing the guilty officials," Djafar said.
He was responding to speculation that the council would
sacrifice low-ranking staffers as scapegoats to cover any top
city officials involved in the scam.
Governor Sutiyoso revealed on Friday that PT Pembangunan Jaya
Ancol was proven guilty of disbursing Rp 2.1 billion (US$220,000)
to finance overseas trips of councilors and city officials
without his consent.
The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office and the honor council, which
comprises all top officials in the city administration, are
scrutinizing 40 people, including 14 councilors, in connection
with the case.
Among the city officials suspected of involvement in the case
are chief of City Development Agency Bambang Sungkono, City Land
Agency chief Ahmaddin Ahmad and his deputy Nurfakih.
A source at the City Inspectorate confirmed on Monday that at
least four administration staffers at the City Council
Secretariat who went on the overseas trips were proven to have
received a double allowance each.
Sutiyoso, who is also the ex officio president commissioner of
PT PJA, said on Friday he would not hesitate to fire Bambang or
anyone else proven guilty in the scam.
Separately, representatives of Ancol's workers union protested
the governor for blaming the partly city-owned company while the
investigation into the case was still under way.
They said it was the governor who approved the company's
proposal to fund the overseas trips.
"We will stage a mass rally if the governor dismisses Ancol's
director Rushadi for such a baseless accusation," said chief of
the union, Harry Susanto, who is also an advertising manager at
the Ancol leisure complex developer.
"We believe that Rushadi is an honest man. He must have
consulted with the governor over the proposal beforehand," said
Harry.
He suspected that there were certain people who wished to take
advantage of Rushadi's departure from the company. Rifts have
long been apparent among the firm's four directors, Harry said.
Sutiyoso asserted on Monday that he never approved the
proposal.
The Ancol scam centers around allegations that PT PJA paid Rp
2.1 billion to fund overseas trips called "comparison studies"
for a group of 45 people comprising councilors and city officials
between Oct. 9 and Oct. 15. to three destinations -- South
Africa, Australia and Japan. (04/07)