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.