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Minister Rini and seaport chief RJ Lino reported to KPK
Rini Soemarno
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Rini Soemarno.(Tribunnews/Dany Permana) (Tribunnews/Dany Permana)
Rini Soemarno. (Tribunnews/Dany Permana)
State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno and president director of state-owned seaport operator PT Pelindo II, RJ Lino, have been reported to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) by a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Masinton Pasaribu.
Masinton, a member of House of Representatives legal commission visited the KPK office on Tuesday, taking with him a document that he claimed was evidence of Lino and Rini's giving and receiving, respectively, of a substantial gift in connection with Rini's position.
Masinton has accused Lino of purchasing a set of furniture for Rini worth Rp 200 million (US$13,750) in March. Masinton claims, based on an official memo from Lino, that Pelindo II money was used to purchase the furniture.
'In the corruption law, it is clear that state apparatus are not allowed to give or receive [such gifts],' said Masinton as reported by tempo.co. Masinton said that his visit to the KPK was to give clarification about the allegation.
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the State-owned Enterprises Ministry Teddy Poernama denied the accusation, saying that Minister Rini did not even occupy his official house. 'It is not true that the minister accepted the furniture as is being accused. The accusation is baseless,' he said as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.
According to Teddy, the official house of the minister is being used by two wives' organizations; one for wives of officials within his ministry, Dharma Wanita, and one for the wives of state-owned enterprises heads and leaders. Minister Rini is a patron of both organizations.
Teddy said that there were 15 paintings owned by Betty RJ Lino, the wife of RJ Lino, on display at the house, while all furniture in the house was state assets managed by the State Secretariat. Teddy admitted, however, that Betty Lino did place a new sofa and other furniture in the house in March this year.
Lino was already under the spotlight in connection with corruption at PT Pelindo II. The National Police have also named FN, an employee of state port operator PT Pelindo II, a suspect in a graft case related to the procurement of fixed crane loading and unloading equipment.
The police accused him of violating the 2001 Corruption Law by inflating prices in a 2013 procurement project. A procurement of 10 mobile cranes was said to be needed for eight ports. In fact, the eight ports had not requested the cranes. (bbn)(++++)
