Mayor denies compensation irregularities

Mayor denies compensation irregularities

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito denied yesterday
mayoralty officials had committed irregularities when
distributing land compensation to Ancol residents.

Suprawito denied officials got residents to sign blank
receipts when evacuating the 4.5-hectare plot owned by the state
Railway Company Perumka.

Vice Governor Idroes said he would order the mayor to
investigate the case.

"The city will impose firm action if officials are found to
have got residence to sign receipts which did not bear the amount
of money given to the residents," Idroes said.

The City Council's Commission A for administration inspected
the North Jakarta mayoralty office Wednesday after 596 families
owning 700 houses in the subdistrict complained.

The legislators alleged some officials had persuaded residents
to sign blank receipts so they would not know how much
compensation they should have got.

The allegations have raised suspicions officials had cheated
each resident of Rp 200,000 compensation. Compensation payments
ranged from Rp 500,000 to Rp 700,000.

The commission's secretary, Abdoel Hamid Notowidagdo, said the
embezzlement cost the government over Rp 100 million.

Abdoel said some officials reportedly harassed and intimidated
residents to move off the land.

The commission also found the district's public security
officials had issued the compensation money. They are not allowed
to issue compensation.

Suprawito said public security officials involvement was
simply because the security office was responsible to the
mayoralty.

Kusaeni, head of the city public security office, said he
would help the mayor clarify the case.

Another alleged procedural violation was paying residents
without the district chief's authorization, Abdoel said.

Challenging the allegation Suprawito said a meeting was held
with all involved parties where agreement over the compensation
and procedures was reached. (02)