Five-year jail term sought for lawmaker

Irawaty Wardany, ,  The Jakarta Post, ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 01/08/2009 10:37 AM  |  National

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors sought a five-year jail sentence for House of Representatives lawmaker Sarjan Tahir on Wednesday for allegedly receiving bribes in connection with the conversion of a protected forest in South Sumatra.

The prosecutors also demanded the defendant, a member of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, pay Rp 250 million (US$23,000) in fines.

Representing his team, prosecutor M. Rum said the defendant was guilty of accepting bribes and gratuities while serving as a House lawmaker deliberating the approval of the forest conversion in Pantai Air Telan in Banyuasin.

The prosecutors charged Sarjan with violating Article 12 (a) and 11 of the 1999 Anticorruption Law, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years jail.

The case revolves around the South Sumatra administration's plan to build Tanjung Api Api Seaport on 600 hectares of protected forest in Banyuasin.

Initially, president director of Tanjung Api Api Seaport's management and development body Sofyan Rebuin asked Sarjan, a member of the House's Commission IV overseeing forestry and agriculture, for assistance in smoothing over the approval process for the conversion.

Sarjan discussed the request with the other commission members Yusuf Erwin Faishal, Hilman Indra, Azwar Chesputra and Fachri Andi Leluasa.

Sarjan then informed Sofyan they would need Rp 5 billion to approve the request.

According to prosecutors, Sofyan met with then South Sumatra governor Syahrial Oesman and an investor for the development project, Chandra Antonio Tan, to discuss the request and Chandra agreed to provide Rp 2.5 billion as a first installment.

Chandra transferred the money in the form of Mandiri traveler cheques (MTC) to Sarjan on Oct. 13, 2006.

"The defendant received Rp 150 million, Yusuf Erwin Faishal Rp 275 million, Hilman Indra Rp 175 million, Azwar Chesputra Rp 325 million, Fachri Andi Leluasa Rp 175 million while several other members were handed between Rp 25 million and Rp 170 million," M. Rum told the court.

Apart from Sarjan, Yusuf is the only lawmaker to have been arrested and named as a suspect so far.

Some of the cheques also went to then commission member Al Amin Nur Nasution, who was sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday in a similar case.

On June 2, 2007, Sarjan, Yusuf and Hilman held a meeting with Chandra at a hotel in Jakarta where Chandra handed over the second installment of Rp 2.5 billion in the form of MTC and BNI multi-purpose cheques.

"The defendant earned Rp 200 million, Yusuf Rp 500 million, Hilman Rp 260 million, Azwar Rp 125 million, Fachri Rp 235 million and several other legislators profited also," the prosecutor said.

Hearing the sentence demand, Sarjan's wife appeared shocked and burst into tears.

Sarjan, however, maintained composure and comforted his wife. He barely responded to the sentence demand, only saying that he would follow legal processes.

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