Outspoken councillor suspended

Outspoken councillor suspended

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City councillor Ugiek Soegihardjo of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has been suspended for
reporting an alleged bribe he received from businessman Edward
Surjadjaja, the party's senior councillor said on Tuesday.

"Ugiek has been pressured into not attending the council's
sessions," the councillor, who asked for anonymity, told
reporters before a plenary session of the council.

The councillor claimed Ugiek was under pressure from the
party's city chapter chairman, the council's deputy chairman,
Tarmidi Suhardjo, and the party's faction chairman, Agung Imam
Sumanto.

Last month, Ugiek revealed he had received a Rp 20 million
bribe from the city joint venture company PT Jakarta
International Trade Fair, which was controlled by Edward.

Several other councillors, also from the same party, who were
members of the council's special committee investigating
irregularities in the company, allegedly received the same amount
of money.

Ugiek, a member of the council's Commission B for economic
affairs, claimed he received the money from Agung.

Agung had admitted giving him the money, but said it was from
his own pocket, instead of from Edward.

Edward laid a complaint against Ugiek to the city police for
defamation.

Since his testimony, Ugiek, known as an outspoken councillor,
rarely attended council sessions, including Tuesday's plenary
session when councillors gave their general opinions on a draft
bylaw on taxation procedures.

Ugiek could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Councillor Agus Dharmawan of the National Mandate Party
revealed on Tuesday that Ugiek had joined the council's visit to
Samarinda, East Kalimantan, last week, but admitted the latter
had rarely attended council sessions since the bribery case was
reported by the press.

"It's regretful if he really was suspended because of his
disclosure of the bribery," said Agus, who is also member of
Commission B and the special committee.

However, councillor Agung Imam Sumanto denied his faction had
suspended Ugiek. He also denied having anything to do with the
bribery allegation.

"It's his business with the police. Ugiek has not been
punished so far," said Agung, who is also a member of the
council's special team.

PDI Perjuangan's faction deputy chairman Totok Ismunandar
supported Agung's statement, saying Ugiek had been suffering from
a liver complaint.