Prosecutors to summon eight councillors over Ancol scam

JAKARTA (JP): Eight city councillors will be summoned next week in connection with two controversial overseas trips made last October, Jakarta Prosecutor's Office special crimes official Andi Syarifuddin said on Friday.

"The councillors' lawyers promised that they would heed the summons," Andi said.

He said his office summoned on Tuesday nine councillors of City Council Commission D for development affairs to question them about the alleged impropriety concerning the trips.

But only the commission chairman, Sayogo Hendro Subroto of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), heeded the summons.

Some of the councillors failed to show up at the prosecutor's office because they were still on the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, while others said they were busy with party activities, he said.

He said the eight councillors to be summoned next week were Dudi Sugiandi of the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police faction, Sugeng Suprijatna and Risdianti Anna Sentot of the Golkar Party, Tjuk Sudono and Marjuan Bakri of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Bimo Hastoro and Maringan Pangaribuan of PDI Perjuangan and Muhayar of the Justice Party.

"They should front up next week. They should not make any more excuses," Andi said.

He did not explain whether the prosecutor's office would use force to get the councillors to go to the office if they ignored the summons a second time.

Muhayar claimed that he and his fellow councillors did not receive the prosecutor's office first summons.

He said he only learned from his lawyers that he had been summoned for questioning.

The councillors are being represented by lawyers Hotma Sitompul and Tommy Sihotang.

In mid-February, Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja gave approval to the prosecutor's office to summon 18 councillors.

The trips made by the councillors drew controversy as they allegedly used Rp 52 million (US$5,000) each, taken from the 2001 city budget, but at the same time received an equal amount from city-owned developer PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol.

At least three councillors accepted the Rp 52 million but did not go on the trips.

It is believed that the trips to Tokyo, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and Sydney, which were called comparative studies for the construction of a waterfront city, were at the initiative of PT Jaya Ancol.

By financing the councillors, the developer was allegedly trying to secure the council's approval for a waterfront project in Ancol, North Jakarta.

Nine low-ranking city officials have received administrative sanctions for going on the trips without the governor's approval, but two high-ranking officials who are strongly believed to be implicated in the scandal remain untouched. (jun)