KPK told to investigate police over alleged APC markups

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 11/06/2007 5:12 PM

Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) filed a report Monday to the anti-graft body KPK about alleged corruption in the procurement of armored personnel carriers (APCs) purchased by the National Police.

IPW has accused the National Police of marking-up APC procurements in 2001 and approving a falsified document of solvency made by PT Sinar Bhakti Bersama, the APC supplier.

""In the 2001 project, we found a mark-up in APC's price,"" IPW chairman Neta S. Pane said.

""A unit of APC was set at Rp 5.2 billion (US$571,428), while a better type of APC was purchased at only Rp 3.8 billion in 2005.

""This (difference in price) indicates a mark-up,"" Neta said.

APCs are used by the police when patrolling conflict areas.

Neta said the allegation was supported with audit results from the Supreme Audit Agency, which found differences of Rp 10 billion in APC payments.

IPW has also accused the police of inflicting losses to the state in the establishment of garages for 20 units of APCs, saying there was a difference of Rp 202 million in expenses used to build the garages.

""In the 2005 project, we found falsification of the solvency document by PT Sinar Bhakti Bersama and we regret the (police chief approved) that false document,"" Neta said.

IPW lawyer Jhonson Panjaitan said the supplier had falsified the document and claimed it was issued by the Central Jakarta district court.

""We have asked the court about the document and they said that they never issued one,"" Jhonson said.

""Therefore, we urge KPK to conduct a thorough investigation regarding this case and bring it to the graft court,"" he said.

Neta said IPW would submit more documents to the KPK next week to support the investigation.

Neta said IPW had not yet named any police suspects.

""We have only reported the case, but we have yet to name any officers we believe (to be) involved,"" he said.

""It is KPK's responsibility to investigate the case and find the suspects.

""And we're not afraid to face any resistance from the police.

""What we are doing ... now is for their own good, we want to reveal corruption in their institution.""

The National Police dismissed the allegation, saying they had been monitored by the House of Representatives and there was no irregularity in financial data audited by the BPK.

""We have done the project transparently and based on the proper procedures and there's nothing wrong with it,"" National Police spokesperson Bambang Kuncoko told detik.com.

Bambang said the police were not concerned about IPW's report and they would be cooperative in the investigation.

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