Telecom graft in Mentawai investigated

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 02/23/2007 8:56 AM

PADANG, West Sumatra: The Tuapejat Prosecutor's Office in Mentawai Islands regency, West Sumatra, is investigating the alleged misuse of funds in the procurement of telecommunications equipment, an official said Thursday.

Rorogo Zega, head of the prosecutor's office, said that 19 witnesses from three institutions involved in the project had been questioned. The three institutions are the Mentawai Island regency administration, state-owned telecommunications equipment producer PT Inti and state-owned telecommunications company PT Telcom Medan.

""Tomorrow we will question Roy Tjahjoko, the former chairman of the Mentawai Regional Development Planning Agency,"" Zega said.

The Rp 16.4 billion (US$1.72 million) project, Zega said, was launched without any tender process, despite the fact that two other companies from Jakarta intended to take part in the project and met all relevant requirements.

The cost of the project blew out to Rp 18.3 billion due to high voltage damage to some equipment, Zega said. He added that state losses from the project were estimated at Rp 1.9 billion and could go higher. -- JP

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