Lawmaker received Rp 55m in Bintan

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 04/22/2008 10:40 AM  |  National

FACING THE MUSIC: Bintan regency secretary Azirwan answers questions from reporters before entering the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building in South Jakarta on Monday. (JP/P.J. Leo)

Lawmaker Djalaluddin Asy-Syatibi admitted Monday to receiving Rp 55 million (US$5,978) during his visit to Riau province with other House members, including Al Amin Nasution, who was arrested for bribery earlier this month.

Djalaluddin told Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators he first received Rp 30 million upon arrival at Hang Nadim airport in Batam.

"I received the remaining Rp 25 million when I was exercising in the hotel the following day," he said after being questioned as a witness.

The money was given by the same person, who refused to identify himself, Djalaluddin, a member of the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party member (PKS), said.

"The man walked away as soon as he gave me the money," he said, adding that he had handed all of the money over to the anti-graft body.

Djaladuddin visited Riau in December last year with 18 members of the House of Representatives' Commission IV. They were there to discuss the conversion of land in Riau, including in Bintan regency. House Commission IV oversees agriculture, plantations, forestry and fisheries.

"But I do not know if others, including Amin, received any money," he said.

On Jan. 7, in line with the PKS policy based on the 2001 law on corruption, which prohibits anyone in public office accepting gifts, the party turned in Rp 1.9 billion to the KPK, Rp 1 billion of which came from PKS members on Commission IV.

Djalaluddin is the only PKS member so far to acknowledge receiving the gifts of cash on the Riau trip specifically.

On April 9, the anti-graft body arrested Amin in a hotel in South Jakarta for accepting Rp 4 million in cash from Bintan regional secretary Azirwan, who was also arrested. The investigators also confiscated Rp 67 million in cash from Amin.

An additional S$33,000 in cash was confiscated, but the KPK have not yet determined whether that money had anything to do with the alleged bribery.

Amin, from the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), is also a member of House Commission IV.

The arrests were made in connection with the Bintan administration's request for approval from the Forestry Ministry to convert around 200 hectares of a 7,300 hectare conservation forest into an office complex.

Amin and Azirwan were arrested just hours after Commission IV held a meeting, which Amin attended, where minister of rorestry Malam Sambat Ka'ban approved the proposal.

Azirwan on Monday denied bribing Amin to facilitate an approval, saying such an action was unnecessary at that point.

"The House members will soon finish deliberating the proposal, so what is the use of bribing anyone?" he said.

He said the S$33,000 was his own money, but did not know about the other Rp 71 million confiscated by the KPK.

"I was going to use S$33,000 to buy a car in the capital," Azirman said. He said the money was confiscated from his room in an apartment, not in the hotel as the KPK claimed. (ewd)

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