The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, March 28 2016
A Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigation document into a bribery case embroiling House of Representatives Commission V, which oversees infrastructure, reveals details of how political parties allegedly rigged infrastructure projects at the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry.
The case started when the KPK arrested ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Damayanti Wisnu Putranti, a Commission V member, for accepting a commitment fee from businessman Abdul Khoir on Jan. 13, after attending the birthday party of Guruh Soekarnoputra, the brother of PDI-P chairwoman and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, in Jakarta.
The fee was in relation to an infrastructure project from the ministry worth Rp 41 billion (US$3.09 million) in Maluku.
In the 84-page document, obtained by The Jakarta Post on Sunday, Abdul told KPK investigators that Commission V member Musa Zainuddin of the pro-government National Awakening Party (PKB) had offered him construction projects in Maluku “earmarked” for the Islamic political party by Commission V worth a total of Rp 500 billion, but the businessman had to pay an 8 percent commitment fee to Musa in order for his company to win the project tenders.
“Musa controls Rp 250 billion of the total project, of which I would receive Rp 100 billion while another Rp 150 billion would be given to [other businessmen] Rino/Henok Setiawan and Carlos,” Abdul said in the document.
Abdul added that he made the payment to Musa in several stages between November and December 2015 through a Commission V staff member identified as “Bang Jay”, who informed Abdul that Rino had also paid his “obligatory” 8 percent commitment fee to Musa with regard to the Rp 150-billion projects.
Abdul said that he did not know with whom Musa shared the Rp 8 billion money but he told investigators that the Rp 100-billion project he acquired was jointly earmarked for Musa and other PKB politicians in Commission V including Alamudin Dimyati Rois and Fathan Subchi.
National Mandate Party (PAN) members offered a cheaper commitment fee of only 7 percent for infrastructure projects worth Rp 170 billion in Maluku, where Abdul’s company is based.
The projects were earmarked for PAN member Andi Topan Tiro, who received Rp 6.7 billion from Abdul; of which Rp 4.2 billion was given to Topan through Bang Jay, while the remaining money was given directly to Topan in his office at the House.
Abdul said Public Works and Public Housing Ministry officials identified as Quraish Lutfhi and Imran helped Topan to persuade the ministry to award Topan’s project to Abdul. “After handing over the money to Topan, he thanked me,” Abdul said in the document.
The KPK investigation has so far named as suspects two Commission V members namely Damayanti and Budi Supriyanto of the Golkar Party. Budi is accused of receiving an 8 percent commitment fee, amounting to S$404,000, for his Rp 50 billion project in Maluku being awarded to Abdul. Budi gave S$99,000 to Damayanti for brokering the deal with Abdul.
The KPK has questioned Musa, Fathan, Dimyati and Topan in the case and their status remains as witnesses.
Meanwhile, Abdul’s lawyer Haeruddin Masaro confirmed the authenticity of the KPK document, adding that Abdul also told KPK investigator during his questioning that other businessmen eyeing projects in Maluku also bribed other Commission V members. He declined to give any names.
“Let the KPK work to unravel the names of the other lawmakers,” Haeruddin told the Post on Sunday.
In the document Abdul told KPK investigators his colleague “Koh Aseng”, who also sought projects in Maluku, paid unspecified commitment fees to Commission V member Yudi Widiana Adia of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
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ma 28 maa 2016 - 4:59