KPK grills more lawmakers in bribery scandal

Eny Wulandari ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 04/21/2009 10:50 AM  |  National

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday questioned Malkan Amin of the Golkar Party and Suharso Mondarfa of the United Development Party (PPP) in relation to a bribery scandal involving a ministerial project.

The questioning session began at around 9 a.m. at the anti-graft body's headquarters, KPK spokesman Johan Budi said. The questioning was related to an alleged bribery case, in which former legislator Abdul Hadi Djamal from the National Mandate Party (PAN) has been named a suspect.

The KPK claims that several lawmakers had attended a meeting between government and committee members to discuss a fiscal stimulus package at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta in February.

Abdul was caught red-handed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in February receiving an alleged bribe for US$90,000 (Rp 985 million) and Rp 54 million from Transportation Ministry official Darmawati Dareho, who was also subsequently declared a suspect and detained.

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

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

KPK had already questioned three other members of the committee, namely Enggartiasto Lukito of the Golkar Party, Jhonny Allen Marbun of the Democrat Party and Rama Pratama of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). (dre)

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