TMW consortium denies collusion allegation in train project deal

JAKARTA (JP): Tekken-Marubeni Wika (TMW) consortium of Japan has flatly denied the allegation made by the Indonesian Corruption Watch that TMW was involved in a collusion with the tendering committee of Jababeka's train project that might cause the Indonesian government losses of Rp 11 billion.

TMW's lawyer, O.C. Kaligis of Otto Cornelis Kaligis & Associates, issued a statement on Tuesday rebutting the Indonesian Corruption Watch's allegations against TMW which were contained in the story headlined ICW reveals massive graft at PTPN XIII published on this page on Nov. 4, 1998.

The following is the gist of the statement by Kaligis:

In the award of the contract for the Train Operation Control System, TMW was the lowest amongst six bidders in an open international tender overseen by the Japan's Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), likewise providing the most competitive price.

With regard of technical aspects, all materials installed or to be installed are equal to or better than specified in the contract documents issued by the government and there is absolutely no truth whatsoever in the statement that sub-standard materials have or will be installed or that public safety will be jeopardized in any way.

Our client is a professional consortium and is fully capable of executing this contract and upon completion will guarantee the installation in accordance with the contract conditions. In this case, we believe that such totally false and libelous information regarding the technical performance and capability of our client's joint operation is likely to have been created by one of competitors whom we defeated fairly during the tender process. Therefore, the informant's motive is not to support the reform initiative but to promote their own commercial interests by discrediting our client's organization.

With the principle of presumption of innocence in mind, all persons charged with such investigations and reports have a duty to substantiate their claims and take responsibility for their statement. It is clear that your newspaper had published article which contained completely false and libelous statements against our client. You and Mr. Bambang Widjojanto have not obtained sufficient evidence and commenced any cross-examination covering both sides, before quoting such statements in said article. The statements in said article are libelous and were made without prior check and re-check with our client. (gis)