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KPK grills Riau governor
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has questioned Riau governor Annas Maamun in its investigation into alleged graft surrounding the submission of revisions to 2014 Riau forest-conversion permits at the Forestry Ministry
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he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has questioned Riau governor Annas Maamun in its investigation into alleged graft surrounding the submission of revisions to 2014 Riau forest-conversion permits at the Forestry Ministry.
'He was questioned as a witness for suspect GM [Gulat Manurung],' the commission's head of communications and information, Priharsa Nugraha, said as quoted by Antara news agency in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Annas declined to comment shortly after he arrived at the KPK headquarters from the anti-graft commission's detention center inside the military prison facility at Guntur, South Jakarta, on Tuesday morning.
Gulat, chairman of the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers Association (Apkasindo) Riau chapter, is suspected of having bribed Annas for the issuance of land-conversion permits in protected forest in Riau.
Apart from Annas, three others ' a legal administrative officer of PT Sinar Bahana Mulya, Nuryani Dewi Ningrum, and two cashiers at PT Ayu Masagung Money Changer, identified as Tati and Tety YS ' are also undergoing questioning as witnesses for the Riau governor.
KPK investigators caught Annas, Gulat and seven other people allegedly red-handed as the bribery was taking place at the governor's house at Citra Grand residential complex in Cibubur, East Jakarta, on Thursday evening. During the raid, the KPK officers also confiscated around Rp 2 billion (US$164,190.2) in cash, comprising Rp 500 million and S$150,000.
Gulat is alleged to have bribed Annas in the hope that his 140-hectare oil palm plantation, which is located in Kuantan Singingi regency, Riau, could be converted from industrial-timber plantation (HTI)-categorized areas into non-forest areas, or areas for other allotment of land use (APL).
The KPK also suspect that the bribe money would be used to 'buy' other projects in Riau as during the arrest and investigation, the commission found a list of projects to be carried out in the province.
During the raid, KPK investigators also found $30,000 in cash but during his examination, Gulat claimed that he only gave Annas money in Rupiah and Singapore dollar denominations. (ebf)
