Ministry officials named in Bulyan's bribery case

Andra Wisnu and Andreas D. Arditya ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 07/03/2008 10:38 AM  |  Headlines

More House of Representatives lawmakers and some government officials may have been involved in the alleged bribery involving Reform Star Party politician Bulyan Royan and businessman Dedi Suwarsono.

Dedi's lawyer Kamaruddin Simanjuntak said Wednesday the money his client gave to Bulyan was part of a deal between the businessman, government officials and Bulyan in connection to the procurement of patrol boats by the Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Sea Transportation.

"Five businessmen, including my client, had each agreed to pay a total of Rp 3.3 billion (US$360,000) to Transportation Ministry officials and Bulyan, who claimed to represent House Commission V," he said.

Kamaruddin spoke as Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators questioned his client.

Bulyan was a member of the House of Representatives' Commission V for infrastructure and transportation, before he was moved to Commission I in mid-June.

The KPK arrested Bulyan on Monday evening after he was caught red-handed accepting US$66,000 and 5,500 euros from Dedi, who was arrested a day later. The two have been named suspects.

Dedi's company PT Binamina Karya Perkasa was one of the five winners of the tender to procure 20 patrol boats, in a deal worth a total of Rp 115 billion, on May 23, 2008.

According to Kamaruddin, in September 2007, Dedi, along with four businessmen representing the other companies, met with Bulyan and two officials from the Transportation Ministry at a hotel in North Jakarta.

"Bulyan asked each businessman to pay the lawmakers and the ministry 8 percent of the total price of the project each. Bulyan said he would ensure the budget proposed for the project would be approved," he said.

Kamaruddin said the money Dedi handed over on Monday was the fourth and final payment Bulyan was supposed to receive from him. He added that each businessman paid US$1,500 and between Rp 10 million and 20 million to Transportation Ministry officials shortly after they were named winners of the tender.

Kamaruddin identified the ministry officials by their initials D and M, but refused to reveal their names, saying it was the job of the KPK to do so.

"D is a director at the directorate general, while M is his subordinate," he said.

Effendi Batubara, the director general of sea transportation at the Transportation Ministry, told Antara on Tuesday that Djoni Algamar, the director of sea and coastal guard, was in charge of the project's budget.

Commission V chairman Achmad Muqqowam denied commission members were involved in Bulyan's graft case.

"Whatever Bulyan is accused of doing is his own personal deed. The commission is not in any way involved," Achmad said.

The House agreed to allocate Rp 25 billion (US$2.7 million) this year to procure the patrol boats.

When asked about the KPK's plan to search Commission V offices for evidence some time this week, Achmad said permission to do so would be required from House Speaker Agung Laksono.

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