Police to quiz water company officials

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police detectives are currently investigating a reported scam involving Rp 9.9 billion (US$876,100) in social security (Jamsostek) contributions, in which executives of Jakarta's tap water companies are allegedly implicated.

The Jakarta Police's deputy chief of detectives for corruption crimes, Comr. Edy Iswahyudi, said on Wednesday that his officers were scheduled to question officials from PT Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja), PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) and city-owned water company PAM Jaya.

TPJ, a subsidiary of British Thames Water International, has about 200,000 customers while Palyja, a subsidiary of French based Lyonnaise des Eaux, has about 300,000 customers.

"We are currently questioning a witness from PAM in this case. He is currently a witness, but could soon be charged as a suspect," Edy told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Anybody convicted in the case could face a maximum punishment of 20 years in jail and a Rp 1 billion fine, he said.

Edy added that police would soon summon TPJ president Pierre Jacob and Palyja president Pierre Alla for questioning.

"The police complaint in the case was lodged here by a man named Emil Djawes who is from PAM. He said that ever since 1998, an abnormal percentage sum had been docked from the salaries of the thousands of PAM employees working for Palyja and TPJ," Edy said.

"We are looking into the matter."

Separately, PT Palyja public relations manager Maria Sidabutar said that Palyja was confident that it had committed no mistakes, and that they had "evidence and solid proof" that no corruption had taken place.

"Our human resources manager, Rasam Badaruddin, has received a police summons and he is scheduled to be questioned about the case on Thursday. We are absolutely sure that no wrongdoing has been perpetrated on our part, and we have proof to back this up," Maria told the Post on Wednesday.

Maria admitted that employees of PAM working at Palyja received a "different kind of remuneration package and pension plan" than those who worked directly for Palyja.

"There are different remuneration packages, sure, but this does not mean that we're guilty of corruption." (ylt)