MOU on civil, administrative disputes settlement signed

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with nine city-owned companies (BUMD) on Wednesday aimed at easing the settlement of civil and state administrative disputes.

The agreement, which was signed by the Head of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office Fachry Nasution and nine president directors of the companies, facilitates an out-of-court dispute resolution for such cases.

Fachry said the MOU would therefore help reduce the financial losses of the city.

"With this agreement, not all civil and state administrative disputes will have to go to court.

"And the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office will have the authority to propose negotiation between the disputed parties to cut the financial losses of the city," he said.

He said that with the agreement, prosecutors of his office would act as lawyers for the nine companies as stipulated in the Law No. 5/1991 on the Prosecutor's Office.

"If one of the companies has to deal with consumers who refuse to pay their debts, we will push for the return of the money.

"And if it does not work out, we will bring the matter to court," Fachry cited an example.

He stressed that the point was to get back as much money as possible to the city, while at the same time upholding the law.

The nine companies are PT. Dharma Jaya, PD. Pasar Djaya, PT. Bank DKI, PT. PAM Jaya, PT. Pulomas Jaya, PT. Pembangunan Pluit Jaya, PT. Sarana Jaya, PT. Wisata Niaga and PT. Persero Jiep.

Similar agreements had earlier been established in South Sulawesi and North Sumatra provinces, when Fachry was assigned as head of the prosecutor's office in both provinces.

When asked whether the agreement would eventually influence the settlement of around 20 corruption cases in the companies, Fachry vowed that all of the corruption cases would be prosecuted accordingly to proper procedure.

"This will not affect our office's impartiality in handling these corruption cases as they will be handled by different prosecutors from the ones assigned as the firms' lawyers," he said.

"I promise that none of the 23 reported cases will be forgotten as the city council will also monitor the prosecution of these cases," Fachry added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Fauzie Alvi Yasin said that with the agreement, many of the city-owned companies will have more legal certainty in business deals with their partners.

"Usually, we lack confidence if we have to face legal action or take legal action against our partners.

"But with this agreement, we can prevent further losses," Fauzie said after the signing ceremony.

He also stressed that the agreement would not help exonerate officers from the city-owned companies implicated in corruption cases. (dja)