TMW consortium denies collusion allegation in train project deal
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)