T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has no plans to investigate Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh following a report of her alleged involvement in a bribery case in the construction of SEA Games facilities in Palembang, South Sumatra.

“Angelina’s former lawyer Kamaruddin Simanjuntak made statements to the media to that effect. It’s not witness testimony since he did not address it to the KPK,“ KPK deputy chief Haryono Umar said Monday.

Tempo weekly magazine published a headline story on Monday stating that Angelina and the Democratic Party’s treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin were involved in a graft case in which Wafid Muharram, the secretary to the youth and sports affairs minister, has been named a suspect.

According to the article, Nazaruddin acted as the go-between for PT Duta Graha Indah (PT DGI) in a building construction tender organized by the ministry as the supervisor of the 2011 SEA Games’ facilities construction.

The Democratic Party’s ethics council has reportedly summoned Nazaruddin, but he has not showed up yet.

“There is no clarity about where he is now,” Democratic Party ethics council secretary Amir Syamsuddin said as quoted by Tempo.

Angelina allegedly asked for a bribe amounting to 13 percent of the total value of the project, Tempo said.

Haryono also said that the KPK doubted the information because it came from Kamaruddin, who once represented alleged middleman Mindo Rosalina Manulang who is believed to be an employee of Nazaruddin.

“Our investigation is based on facts, not on some dubious statements,” Haryono said.

He added that up to now, KPK investigators had not yet found any evidence of Angelina’s involvement in the case.

He asserted that the KPK would question Angelina if they found any indications of her involvement.

The Jakarta Post attempted to reach Angelina’s mobile phone, but a woman answering the phone said “wrong number”.

In a phone interview with Tempo on Friday of last week, Angelina, who was in the Netherlands at the time, denied all allegations, saying that she didn’t want to become a scapegoat.

Angelina swore that she had never solicited a bribe.

“My job was a coordinator, like asking my friends [in the House of Representatives’ Commission X] whether they agreed with the construction of athlete’s dormitories in Palembang or not. I swear in the name of God and my son, I never texted Rosalina asking for a bribe,” she said as quoted by Tempo.

To date, three suspects have been named in the case: Rosalina, Wafid and a senior executive of PT DGI Muhammad El Idrus.

As of Monday, the KPK had no plans to question Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng, who is also a politician from the Democratic Party.

“It will all depend on our investigation. If it requires Andi’s testimony, we will summon him for questioning,” Haryono said.

PT DGI was one of five companies, and the only private company, that bid on the construction project of the new House of Representatives building. The plans had the building 37 stories high and to cost Rp 1.13 trillion (US$132.21 million). The company reportedly resigned from the tender two weeks ago.

The Jakarta-based company was also involved in many large construction projects, including the construction of the Jakarta Stock Exchange, the Dharmawangsa apartment building, the Grand Indonesia mall and Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi. (swd)