Legislator charged with extortion, bribery
The Jakarta Post | Thu, 11/20/2008 8:15 PM
Bulyan Royan, a lawmaker from the Reform Star Party (PBR), allegedly set up kickbacks with five business owners in a patrol-boat procurement tender at the Transportation Ministry, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors attested Wednesday.
In their indictment presented before the Corruption Court, KPK prosecutors said Bulyan had asked for a total of Rp 3.43 billion (around US$290,000) from five shipbuilding firms to secure the tender.
Bulyan is a member of the House of Representatives Commission V overseeing transportation which has authority over the Transportation Ministry's budget.
The KPK said that Bulyan and two ministry officials, Djoni Anwar Algamar and Tansean Parlindungan Malau, met with entrepreneurs Dedy Suwarsono of PT Bina Mina Perkasa, Dwi Aningsih of PT Fiberite Fiberglass, Kresna Santoso of PT Bruskorneo Kadarusman, Chandra of PT Sarana Fiberindo Marina, and Hosea Liminata of PT Caputra Mitra Sejati at the Crown Hotel in Jakarta in July 2007.
At that meeting, Bulyan reportedly told the five the Transportation Ministry would procure 21 patrol boats in a project worth Rp 300 billion. He then allegedly said interested parties would have to give him eight percent of the total cost of the project to secure the deal.
Bulyan could face a penalty of 20 years in jail or even inprisonment for life if he is found guilty of the charges.
The presiding judge Gusrizal adjourned the trial until next Wednesday, when the defendant is scheduled to read his defense.
Bulyan was arrested in July 2008 after cashing $66,000 and 5,500 euro (US$7,000) in traveler's checks, allegedly from Dedy Suwarsono, at a bank in a shopping mall in South Jakarta.
In a separate but related trial, KPK prosecutors have demanded a four-year jail term for Dedy for his alleged role in the kickback scheme. (dre)
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