The arrests of officials from the Bekasi administration in West Java and representatives of private companies for alleged bribery concerning the issuance of property permits "came as a shock" to Bekasi regent Neneng Nurhasanah.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Basaria Panjaitan answered “yes” on Monday when asked whether the arrests were related to the operational permits for the modern city of Meikarta – a flagship project of diversified conglomerate Lippo Group.

Neneng said she had issued a warning at the start of this year to officials from the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Agency to be careful when dealing with property permits.

She added that she had also issued a warning to the head of the Bekasi PUPR Agency himself, Jamaluddin, who is assumed to have been among the officials arrested by the KPK.

“I swear to God, I had no idea [about the alleged bribery],” Neneng said, as quoted by tempo.co on Monday.

Previously, the KPK reportedly arrested 10 people — comprising officials from the Bekasi administration and private companies — in relation to the issuance of property permits.

KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah said on Monday that the KPK had also seized a sum of money in Singapore dollars from the suspects.

A number of workrooms at the Bekasi administration office, including the PUPR Agency's, had also been sealed, he added.

The suspects were taken to the KPK headquarters for questioning (rfa)