Minister denies taking bribe from businessmen

Minister denies taking bribe from businessmen

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Panangian Siregar
denied on Thursday he had taken a bribe from businessmen in the
controversial planned importation of waste clay from Singapore.

"I swear to God I haven't accepted anything to allow the waste
importation plan to go ahead. Even if there's been a down
payment, it could have been enjoyed by businessmen involved with
the project," he was quoted by Antara as saying at Batam airport
before leaving for Jakarta.

It is not clear when the importation would begin but uproar
over the plan has been heard since last year.

Panangian was reportedly in Riau for a few days visit to
inspect Pelambung Bay on Karimun Besar island -- where a
politically well-connected private company was supposed to
"rehabilitate" a ruined mangrove woodland with the imported
waste.

Director of PT Media Kertaraharja Aldy Maljoto, whose company
is 30 percent owned by a foundation linked to the office of the
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security, had
said late last year that his company would import 15 million
cubic meters of clay dug out for the Singapore Mass Rapid
Transport construction project.

Both Panangian and the businessman had said the clay was meant
as a mangrove growing medium.

Panangian claimed he would not have been involved in the
project if the waste had not been alleged to contain hazardous
material.

Antara said Panangian was responding to rumors that he had
taken bribes, which was why he insisted on supporting the
project. In addition, the news agency said, an exporting company
in Singapore might have given the importing company in Indonesia
a down payment.

Also late last year, Aldy Maljoto had said the importation
would earn Indonesia about Rp 100 billion in foreign exchange.

Officially, the Singapore government through its embassy here
in Jakarta has repeatedly denied that its Ministry of the
Environment (ENV) had approved companies either in Indonesia and
Singapore to proceed with the business deal.

The news agency quoted a Thursday report carried by
Singapore's The Straits Times as saying that a part of the
island-state's MRT project would excavate around 8.5 million
cubic meters of clay.

Despite protests from local legislatures and environmentalists
who blasted Panangian's recommended deal as selling out the
nation's dignity, Panangian stuck to his guns on Thursday.

He said he would not force his will on the local Riau people,
but he also said: "We will not revoke our recommendation although
Riau people have opposed it."

To push on with his intention, Panangian said his office would
negotiate the deal with the Singapore government and related
authorities.

A group of green activists from the Indonesian Forum for
Environment (Walhi) marked the transfer of office from Juwono
Sudarsono to Panangian last May by staging demonstrations against
him. They said he did not deserve the green ministerial post.

Panangian, of the unpopular camp of the splintered Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), was called by Walhi a man with "blood on
his hands" for his alleged involvement in the July 27, 1997
takeover of the PDI office which was followed by rioting and
deaths. (aan)