TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Bribes went to more legislators, court finds
More members of the House of Representatives have admitted that they received bribes in a forest conversion project in South Sumatra
Change Size
More members of the House of Representatives have admitted that they received bribes in a forest conversion project in South Sumatra.
On Monday, Azwar Chesputra, from the House’s Commission IV overseeing forestry, told the Corruption Court he had taken Rp 120 million (US$10,293) from the South Sumatra administration, in relation to the conversion of 600 hectares of protected mangrove forest in Banyuasin into the Tanjung Api-api seaport in 2006.
Prosecutors had accused the Golkar Party legislator of receiving Rp 450 million through Democratic Party legislator Sarjan Tahir, who was last month sentenced to four-and-a-half years in the case.
“After a working visit to South Sumatra [in September 2006], I received Rp 20 million and gave Rp 10 million to Imam Syuja,” Azwar told the judges, referring to a United Development Party (PPP) legislator.
Azwar was testifying at the trial of National Awakening Party (PKB) legislator Yusuf Erwin Faishal, who faces multiple charges ranging from bribery in the protected forest conversion, to extortion in a procurement project for integrated radio communications systems (SKRT) at the Forestry Ministry in 2007.
Azwar also admitted to receiving Rp 100 million in traveler’s checks through his secretary, Eny Priyoningsih, from Yusuf’s secretary.
When prosecutor Siswanto asked if he knew about the Rp 100 million in traveler’s checks cashed in by his assistant Nurhidayat, Azwar said he knew nothing about it.
“Do you know about traveler’s checks worth Rp 200 million cashed in by witness Erizal, your driver?” Siswanto asked Azwar further.
The Golkar politician insisted he knew nothing about it, leading prosecutors to ask that the panel of judges strike underscore Azwar’s denial.
The prosecutors told the panel, led by judge Edward Pattinasarany, that Azwar’s statement conflicted with testimonies from other witnesses and evidence that investigators had presented to the court.
In the extortion case implicating Yusuf, Azwar admitted to receiving S$5,000 from businessman Anggoro Widjoyo, the president director of PT Masaro, supplier of the radio systems for the Forestry Ministry.
The judges who convicted Sarjan said in their verdict Azwar had played a role in the graft case, along with Yusuf, Hilman Indra from the Democratic Star Pioneer Party, and South Sumatra administration officials Sofyan Rebuin, former governor Syahrial Oesman and businessman Chandra Antonio Tan.
Only Yusuf and Chandra have been brought to justice so far in the two graft cases.
Another witness, Tamsil Linrung of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), also admitted to receiving in the forest conversion case. But he claimed to have turned it in directly to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) within 30 days.
“I received S$2,000 in 2006, Rp 12 million in October 2006 and US$2,000 in January 2007,” Tamsil said.
The money came in part from the head of Commission IV.
Asked whether his fellow legislators had also received money in the case, Tamsil said he had only asked three of his PKS colleagues — Suswono, Samsul Hilal and Anwar Sanusi — if they had taken the money.
All of them admitted to receiving money related to the forest conversion projects in South Sumatra and Bintan, Riau.
