PT Jamsostek denies land and financial scandals
JAKARTA (JP): State-owned social security company PT Jamsostek strongly denied reports yesterday of alleged rampant corruption at the company.
The firm's finance director, Ackmal Husen, told The Jakarta Post that his company was open to any investigation of the allegations.
The firm has documents proving that the allegations are baseless, he said.
"Please, process errant officials of the firm in line with existing laws if they are proven guilty of corruption," he said.
Ackmal made the remarks in response to a call by a House of Representatives member for the government to seriously investigate the alleged corrupt practices in the company.
Faisal Baasir of the United Development Party (PPP) said he was disappointed with the lack of action taken by the government to investigate the allegations.
The scandal includes the alleged appropriation of land on which the company is building its multimillion dollar towers, the misappropriation of Rp 63.6 billion ($7million) from the funding for the towers' construction, the misuse of Rp 7 billion in public funds to ease the passage of the Labor Law and the loss of Rp 915 million incurred from a bad deal.
Minister of Manpower Theo L. Sambuaga said Thursday that he would support an investigation by the police and the prosecutor's office into the alleged corruption at the company.
"The manpower ministry will support and lend assistance if needed in the investigation. Any officials found guilty of corruption should be punished. I will ask the company's management to be helpful in the investigation," he said.
However, he called on all members of society to refrain from hastily and arbitrarily accusing the company's management because the allegations had yet to be proven by a court of law.
Commenting on the towers' construction, Ackmal said yesterday that PT Astek, the previous name of PT Jamsostek, purchased the 3,538-square-meter plot of land from its owner, PT Lippo Profi, on Dec. 15, 1988.
"The land deal stipulates that PT Lippo Profi was the land's legal owner and PT Astek will not face any claim on the land from any third party," he said, quoting the contract of sale.
"So, it is erroneous for Mrs. Adrian Siegers, who claims to be the land's rightful owner, to file suit against PT Jamsostek at Jakarta High Court. If she is really the land's rightful owner she should sue PT Lippo Profi," he said.
He said the land had been certified by the National Land Agency in 1992 and the company obtained a building permit for the towers from the Jakarta governor in 1994.
"So, I do not see that there is any problem with the land appropriation because we have met all the legal and official procedures for the towers' construction," he said.
The company's director of investment, Edward Azizi, who accompanied Ackmal, said the firm was ready to face Mrs. Siegers in the high court.
"The company will not pay any compensation to her for the land. Let the court make a fair decision on the case and we will respect it," he said.
Mrs. Sieger lost her first court case against PT Jamsostek at the South Jakarta District Court in 1996.
She later appealed to the high court. The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office has questioned both the company's president, Adillah Nusi, and his predecessor, Sumakmur PK.
Edward also explained that his company had followed normal procedure in tendering the project.
"The appointment of the project's contractor was based on a public tender without management interference. A construction company which has no links with the management was awarded the contract," he said.
He said the two 25-story towers, which are nearly completed, have a total office space of 146,000 square meters, a part of which was available for rent. (rms)