Minister gives green light to question legislators

Minister gives green light to question legislators

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The minister of home affairs has given his approval for the
questioning of 25 provincial legislators here as witnesses in a
bribery scandal.

"We received a copy of the ministerial approval over the
weekend addressed to the Attorney General's Office," the head of
the intelligence section of the provincial prosecutor's office,
Hendar Sutarna, said on Monday.

The scandal revolves around Rp 150 million (about US$15,000)
allegedly given by state construction company PT Adhi Karya to 26
legislators to win the Rp 9 billion contract for the final phase
of the Yogya Expo Center project.

The company was responsible for the construction of the Rp
42.5 billion Yogya Expo Center, opened in April, which was
jointly financed by the provincial administration and the central
government.

The law requires ministerial approval to question legislators
involved in criminal cases.

Sutarna did not specify when the prosecutors' office would
summon the legislators, but did say that he had to wait for the
original document from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Herman Abdurrahman, the chief of the United Development Party
(PPP) faction in the provincial legislature, who is the main
suspect in the scandal, revealed earlier this month the
involvement of 25 of his colleagues in the matter.

The director of PT Adhi Karya, Duljiman, was also named a
suspect in the scandal in February.

Four of the other five faction chiefs in the legislative
council are among the 25 witnesses to be questioned. They are
Rahardjo Djoko Riyanto of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction; M. Umar of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) faction; Immawan Wahyudi of the National
Mandate Party (PAN) faction; and Khairuddin of the Golkar Party
faction.

The only faction chief not among the witnesses is the head of
the Indonesian Military faction.

The spokesman for the provincial prosecutor's office, Ranu
Miharja, said Herman confirmed during questioning that PT Adhi
Karya transferred a total of Rp 150 million at his request.

A number of Yogyakarta provincial legislators are also caught
up in a Rp 1 billion bribery scandal involving last year's vice
governor election.

Paku Alam IX, the sultan of Paku Alaman Palace, and his half-
brother Anglingkusumo, were the participants in the election,
which was won by Paku Alam IX.

Legislators allegedly received money from both Anglingkusumo
and Paku Alam IX. The matter is currently being investigated by
the provincial prosecutor's office.