Suspect says 25 councilors took bribes in JEC project

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta people have much reason for questioning the credibility and integrity of their provincial legislators after the prime suspect in an alleged corruption scandal concerning the construction of the Jogja Expo Center (JEC) revealed on Monday that 25 of 52 fellow councillors had shared a Rp 150 million bribe with him.

The suspect, Herman Abdurrahman, disclosed the list to prosecutors during questioning led by the head of intelligence section of the provincial prosecutors' office Hendar Sutarna.

"He began to 'sing' and insisted that he was not the only one to receive the money," Sutarna said.

In response to this development, Sutarna said that his office had immediately sent a letter to Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno requesting permission to question the 25 legislators as witnesses. Such permission is required under existing law.

Herman, who is faction chief of the United Development Party (PPP) at the council, was named in February as a suspect in the bribery scandal, along with the director of Yogyakarta's state- run construction firm PT. Adhi Karya, Duljiman.

Prosecutors alleged Duljiman had bribed Herman in exchange for the council's support for the last disbursement of the JEC project funds, totaling Rp 9 billion, from the provincial administration to the company.

The Rp 42.5 billion project, which was inaugurated by President Megawati Soekarnoputri in April, was jointly financed by the Yogyakarta provincial administration and the central government.

Sutarna said that the investigators needed another questioning session, scheduled for Monday, to discover if the money was transferred at the request of legislators, although even without their initiative the money transfer was already a crime.

Officials of public institutions such as a legislative council are forbidden to receive gifts of any kind.

Yogyakarta provincial councillors have also come under public scrutiny for alleged bribery during last year's vice gubernatorial election.

Sultan of Paku Alaman principality Paku Alam IX and his step- brother Prince Anglingkusumo were the only contenders in an election won by the former. Both allegedly offered the legislators bribes totaling Rp 1 billion.

The case is currently being investigated by the provincial prosecutor's office.