Suspect says 25 councilors took bribes in JEC project
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.