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Agung Podomoro most cooperative developer, Ahok tells court
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President Director of PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL), Ariesman Widjaja (second left) heads to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office on April 4 when he surrendered to the commission after being named a suspect for allegedly bribing a city councilor. ((ribbunnews.com/Herudin)
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akarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama told judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday that among developers involved in the Jakarta Bay reclamation projects, Agung Podomoro Land (APL) had been the most cooperative.
APL never complained about the 15 percent “additional contribution” the administration wanted developers to make in return for the reclamation projects awarded to them, Ahok said. The company constructed the Daan Mogot low-cost apartments and an inspection road in Pasar Ikan, North Jakarta, to pay its contribution in advance, he added.
The Jakarta administration proposed that the 15 percent additional contribution be regulated in the draft regional bylaw on the controversial reclamation projects. If the 15 percent additional contribution was agreed, the city would receive 15 percent of funds from properties sold on reclaimed land based on the taxable value of property (NJOP).
Ahok said he was baffled as to why APL president director Ariesman Wijaya, on trial for corruption related to the reclamation project, allegedly bribed a city councilor to change the figure from 15 percent to 5 percent.
“No developer was as cooperative as APL. I don’t know why [it allegedly committed the bribery],” Ahok said. “In front of me developers always said ‘yes’ to the contribution requirement. If they’re finally proven guilty of bribery to reduce the percentage of the contribution, that means they have backstabbed me.” (ary)
