Yogyakarta councillors take bribes, alleges witness

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Provincial prosecutors made significant headway in their investigation into alleged bribery involving local councillors when a witness disclosed on Friday that a meeting had been held to discuss the amount of the bribes.

Spokesman for the provincial prosecutor's office Ranu Miharja said that during his questioning as a witness, provincial legislature deputy speaker Nur Achmad Affandi admitted that a number of councillors met with provincial administration officials in January to talk about the money requested by councillors.

Nur Achmad, who also attended the meeting, told the prosecutors the money, amounting to Rp 150 million, was to ensure that the councillors approved the last Rp 9 billion disbursement from the provincial budget for the completion of the Jogja Expo Center (JEC) building being built by state-run construction company PT Adhi Karya.

"This is important information. We now can conclude that the bribes were given upon the request of the councillors," Ranu said.

Nur Achmad is one of 25 councillors who have been summoned for questioning as witnesses in the scandal after prime suspect Herman Abdurrahman revealed that his colleagues had accepted bribes.

The prosecutors also quizzed another legislator Bugiakso on Wednesday.

Apart from Herman, chief of the United Development Party (PPP) faction at the provincial legislature and the construction company's director Duljiman has also been declared a suspect.

Ranu, however, refused to comment on speculation that Duljiman would be exonerated from all charge following Nur Achmad's account.

"We can't jump to such a conclusion. Let's just wait and see," he said.

Provincial council speaker Surasmo Priyandono and his deputy Totok Daryanto are scheduled to be questioned as witnesses on Saturday.

It will apparently take the prosecutors weeks to complete their investigation. Agus Subagyo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction and Golkar faction chief Khairuddin have also been summoned.

"It will also be important for us to obtain information from Agus Subagyo and Khairuddin, as both have admitted to having received bribes, which they later returned," chief of the team of prosecutors investigating the scandal, Hendar Sutarna, told The Jakarta Post.

Sutarna also said that his office had questioned several officials of the provincial administration as witnesses, including provincial administration secretary Bambang S. Priyohadi.