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Udar Pristono detained for shoddy bus fleet
Former Transportation Agency head Udar Pristono, a graft suspect in connection with the procurement of faulty Transjakarta buses from China worth Rp 1 trillion (US$88 million), has been detained by the Attorney Generalâs Office (AGO) since Wednesday night
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ormer Transportation Agency head Udar Pristono, a graft suspect in connection with the procurement of faulty Transjakarta buses from China worth Rp 1 trillion (US$88 million), has been detained by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) since Wednesday night.
The Rp 1 trillion procurement was budgeted to finance the acquisition of 644 buses from China, but so far only 125 buses have arrived and less than half (Rp 400 billion) of the money has been spent. Out of the 125 buses currently in Jakarta, 15 have been found to have rusty and damaged parts.
Along with Udar, the AGO has detained another suspect, Prawoto, the director of transportation systems and the technology center at the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).
'We detained [Udar] for the sake of the investigation. A suspect may be detained to prevent him from running away, sabotaging evidence or repeating wrongdoing,' AGO spokesman Tony T. Spontana told The Jakarta Post on Thursday, adding that Udar was being held at the AGO office.
'The investigators have 20 days [before the arrest expires], which can be extended to 40 days. So we hope to complete the dossier soon,' he said.
Tony added that Udar demanded his superiors be questioned and held responsible. 'We won't necessarily respond to all the statements made by a suspect or a witness. We will move in accordance with the evidence, letting the evidence [be our] guide,' Tony said.
Aside from the seven named suspects, Tony also said that the AGO had named three new suspects, including an individual identified by the initials BS, who works at an automotive company. The AGO has also questioned at least 60 witnesses and experts.
Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama expressed regret over the news, but said that the city would not provide any legal assistance for Udar.
'I don't think the regulations allow us to provide legal assistance for civil servants involved in criminal cases. Besides, he already has his own lawyers,' Ahok said.
Employment Agency head I Made Karmayoga said that Udar's status as a civil servant might be challenged once the court issued a ruling.
'If he is proven guilty by the court, he will be dismissed from the city administration,' Made said.
Until Udar's legal status is settled by the court, he is entitled to continue receiving 75 percent of his monthly salary. (fss)
