More will follow Angelina

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh suspect in a bribery case on Friday, a move that the antigraft body said could uncover major players in a scandal that has rocked the political party of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad made an announcement on Friday afternoon saying that Angelina was involved in a bribery case centering on the construction project of an athletes’ village for the 2011 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that also has put former party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin in the spotlight.

In a document signed by the leadership of the KPK on Thursday, Angelina, member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission X on sports, is charged with accepting bribes and a gift as a gratuity.

Angelina’s name first came to light in May last year when Nazaruddin’s confidante Mindo Rosalina “Rosa” Manulang told KPK investigators that Angelina played an important role in rigging the tender process for the project.

Rosa is currently serving two years and six months in jail for her role in helping Nazaruddin seal the deal to award the project to PT Duta Graha Indah (DGI).

Angelina, who was addressed by both Nazaruddin and Rosa as “the actress”, was alleged to have also helped ensure a favorable outcome for DGI. As a member of House’s budget committee which approved the budget for the 2011 SEA Games construction project, she is believed played an important role in securing the project.

Samad said that Angelina holds the key to uncovering the scandal.

“She is the door to deepening our investigation into the case,” Samad said. “There will likely be other new suspects.”

He said that all possible suspects would be prosecuted, a statement which could mean that Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum could soon face questioning.

He declined to comment as to when KPK investigators would start their probe into the rigged bidding process for the project.

The case has also implicated budget committee deputy leader Mirwan Amir of the Democratic Party, and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Wayan Koster.

Upon the KPK’s request, the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s Immigration Office has imposed a travel ban for Angelina and Koster.

When contacted by The Jakarta Post, Koster said he had no knowledge of the travel ban.

“I don’t know about the travel ban. Maybe it’s because Nazaruddin has mentioned my name,” Koster said, adding that he never planned to go overseas. Koster also denied allegations that he was complicit in the bribery scandal.

On Friday morning, Angelina was nowhere to be seen at the DPR compound, where she was expected to attend a meeting.

Fellow Democratic Party member Muhammad Kahfi Siregar said that Angelina would stay in Jakarta to face KPK questioning sessions and possible trial. “She has no intention to escape,” he said.

Records from the Immigration Office said that Angelina last returned to the country from Singapore on Dec. 11, 2011.

On her Twitter feed at @SondakhAngelina, Angelina said she “never asked for or received any money from the SEA Games project, nor even had [said] anything about it.”

She described the case as a game which magically sacrificed her. “This is not the end. It’s just the beginning. Politics is never a fair game [sic].”