No problem as a witness in Ancolgate: Sutiyoso

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso expressed his willingness on Monday to answer the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office summons related to a controversial foreign trip conducted by several city officials and councillors, dubbed "Ancolgate".

"I have yet to receive the summons but I'm looking forward to it. I have no problem at all with being questioned as a witness in this case," he told reporters at City Hall.

Sutiyoso claimed he had disagreed with the disposition letter connected with the October 2000 trip as the country was still in the midst of an economic crisis.

Several city officials and 15 councillors joined the "comparative study" to Japan, South Korea and Australia, which was fully financed by the city budget and the city-owned PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol. Each of them received Rp 54 million (US$5,400) from the budget and US$5,000 from the company.

So far, the prosecutors office has only named three councillors -- Tarmidi Suhardjo and Tarmidi Edi Suwarno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Ali Imron Hussein of the United Development Party -- as suspects as they accepted the allowance without joining the trip.

They reportedly returned the allowance after the press reported the case early last year.

Ali, who used to be friendly to reporters, had claimed that he did not join the trip due to health reasons. On Monday, he began to avoid the press and refused to comment when questioned. He also was seen repeatedly moping perspiration from his brow.

The City Council had earlier criticized Sutiyoso for only punishing some low-ranking officials but failing to reprimand the high-ranking officials involved in the Ancol scandal.

During his tenure, only Sutardjianto, formerly the city inspector, was replaced and taken to the West Jakarta District Court for corruption charges in 1999. He was declared guilty and sentenced to eight months probation.