A Democratic Party legislator was questioned Monday by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for his role in a bribery case.

Jhonny Allen Marbun, who has drawn wide public criticism for avoiding the KPK’s questioning due to his busy schedule campaigning for his party in his electoral district in North Sumatra, admitted he had attended a meeting between the government and House of Representative’s budgetary committee members to coordinate perceptions on fiscal stimulus, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta in February.

According to a former legislator from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Abdul Hadi Djamal, the meeting aimed to increase the budget of some government offices, including the Transportation Ministry.

Abdul is also a suspect in the case. The KPK caught him red-handed in February receiving an alleged bribe of US$90,000 and Rp 54 million from Transportation Ministry official Darmawati Dareho, Darmawati has also been declared a suspect and detained by the KPK.

Abdul said the money he received from the ministry was compensation for his role in persuading the government to increase the ministry’s budget.

Abdul further said Jhonny had received a kickback of Rp 1 billion ($88,066) through him for the

same role.

Jhonny, however, denied having any links with the bribery case.

The Four Seasons meeting, he said, was only to synchronize their perceptions (on fiscal stimulus) because the global financial crisis could affect Indonesia’s state budget.

“So there’s nothing fishy about the meeting,” Jhonny told journalists, after completing a six-hour questioning session at the KPK.

The money was allegedly provided by a businessman, Hontjo Kurniawan, another suspect in the case, to ensure his company PT Kurnia Jaya Wirabhakti won a contract for the ministry’s development projects of piers and airport facilities in eastern Indonesia.

When asked whether he had received the money, Jhonny replied, “I don’t know about that, you better ask him [Hontjo].”

The project was part of a Rp 10.2 trillion fiscal stimulus program from the government, which was later increased to Rp 12.2 trillion following the agreement between the government and budgetary committee at the House, of which both Abdul and Jhonny were members.

According to Abdul, discussions to increase the budget took place at the Four Seasons hotel, which was attended by Rama Pratama of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Jhonny.

Abdul said Rama and the committee head, Emir Moeis of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) had led the initiative to raise the fund to Rp 12.2 trillion.

He also claimed the Finance Ministry’s head of fiscal policy, Anggito Abimanyu, had an active role in lobbying the committee members to approve the increase.

The accusation was later denied by Anggito, Rama and Emir.

On the same day, the KPK also questioned another legislator, Golkar’s Enggartiasto Lukito, a member of the committee, as a witness in the case.

According to KPK spokesman Johan Budi, both Jhonny and Enggartiasto were still questioned as witnesses, even though one of the suspects had mentioned their involvement.

“We are planning to question Emir Moeis this week,” he said.

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