Official testifies in fake reclamation paper case

Official testifies in fake reclamation paper case

JAKARTA (JP): A West Jakarta Environment Board official told the South Jakarta District Court yesterday that because he suspected foul play in a land reclamation project last year, he refused to issue a license to a private company.

The official was testifying at the trial of four engineering consultants, who were charged with forging a hydraulic analysis originally made by PT Sac Nusantara.

The forged document was later used by PT Kharisma Wira Perkasa to apply for a city license to begin reclamation work in the Pluit area, where the first company, PT Sac, also plans to carry out the same activity.

According to earlier testimonies, PT Sac had submitted the same analysis to the Agency several months before.

Darundono, yesterday's witness, added that when he received PT Kharisma's application, he noticed that the hydraulic concept for the reclamation was also similar to the previous one submitted by PT Sac.

He reported his suspicion to his superior, who later decided that the City Environmental Agency would not process the application before the case was made clear.

According to the indictment, the four defendants forged the document under the instructions of PT Kharisma.

PT Sac claims that it suffered Rp 800 million (US$360,000) in damages due to the postponement of its project, which cannot begin until the court delivers its verdict.

Meanwhile, three PT Kharisma employees, responsible for hiring the consultants, are now being tried in a separate trial at the Central Jakarta district Court on charges of collusion. (03)