Statue project reported to police for alleged markup
Statue project reported to police for alleged markup
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Non-governmental organization (NGO) Jakarta Development Watch
(Jadewa) on Tuesday reported the head of the Jakarta City Park
Agency, Mauritz Napitupulu, to the police for allegedly marking
up the budget for the construction of a statue in Central
Jakarta.
Jadewa's executive director Santoso AS said that based on his
NGO's estimation, the construction of the statue of the
Indonesian Military's first Commander Gen. Soedirman, should only
have been Rp 1.79 billion (US$210,588), much lower than the
estimate of Rp 3.5 billion provided by the Jakarta
administration.
"We've found several indications of a markup, involving
possible collusion and corruption in the agency headed by
Mauritz," Santoso said at the Jakarta Police Headquarters.
Santoso said that the Soedirman Foundation, owned by the
family of Gen. Soedirman, set up PT Patria Mega Komunika to
construct the statue. Patria Mega Komunika paid Rp 6.5 billion to
the Jakarta Revenue Agency for outdoor advertising space, Rp 3.5
billion less than the official rate. The agency told the company
to use the difference to construct the statue.
"With the advertisement space measuring 10 meters in width and
20 meters in length, anyone who is willing to rent the space for
a five-year term must pay at least Rp 10 billion. But, the
company only paid Rp 6.5 billion," Santoso explained.
Jadewa also blasted the developers for felling eight trees to
make space for the construction of the statue and for the costly
establishment of 12 spotlights and 17 street lamps to illuminate
the site.
The 6.5-meter high statue, which stands on the median strip of
Jl. Jend. Sudirman in Central Jakarta, was inaugurated by
Governor Sutiyoso on Aug. 16.
The 4.5-ton statue standing on a 4.5-meter-high pedestal, was
made by Sunaryo, a sculptor from the Bandung Institute of
Technology.
Responding to the report, Mauritz said that he had yet to hear
that he had been reported to the police.
"I have not received the information yet... But, I don't feel
that I have violated any laws," he told The Jakarta Post by
phone.
He added that, "there is no need for me to respond to such
silly conclusions."
He further denied that there had been any markup in the
project.
"How could Jadewa estimate the value of an artistic work like
the statue of Soedirman? The value of the statue is determined by
the sculptor, not by other parties," said Mauritz.
The statue of Gen. Soedirman was constructed at the request of
his descendants. Soedirman was born in 1912 in Bodas Karang Jati
village, Rembang regency, Central Java. He was a commander during
the fight for independence, and was appointed chief of the
Indonesian Military on Nov. 12, 1945.