TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
West Java to review Meikarta project amid alleged bribery case
Ridwan Kamil said he did not yet have full information on the Meikarta case.
Change Size
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil (left) and Deputy Governor Uu Ruzhanul Ulum. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
W
est Java Governor Ridwan Kamil says that his administration will review the Meikarta township project in Bekasi regency following the arrests of several people by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in an alleged bribery case related to the project.
The governor first talked about the matter on his social media accounts on Sunday when he said he would “immediately conduct a comprehensive and fair review of Meikarta.”
Talking to journalists in Bandung on Monday, the governor, however, said he had not yet been able to make any decision as he had not received complete data on the project.
“What I am doing right now is asking for information regarding the provincial administration’s recommendation on the project. Once we have our hands on the information, we will make our official statement regarding Meikarta,” Ridwan said.
He referred to a recommendation for a land-use permit issued in November 2017 by the provincial administration for 85 hectares of land for the project from an initial request from Bekasi regency of 147 ha for Meikarta. The West Java administration, at that time under the leadership of Ahmad Heryawan and Deddy Mizwar, claimed to have found no problem regarding the spatial planning regarding the 85 ha site.
The KPK has named nine suspects, including Bekasi Regent Neneng Hasanah Yasin and Lippo Group executive Billy Sindoro, in the alleged bribery case concerning the issuance of property permits for Meikarta, a flagship project of diversified conglomerate Lippo Group, being constructed by its subsidiary PT Mahkota Sentosa Utama (MSU).
Billy is accused of instructing his subordinates to pay bribes amounting to Rp 13 billion (US$856,531) to the regent in order to influence the issuance of permits necessary for the project.
Lippo Group in its official statements and advertisements said the project was worth Rp 278 trillion and would be developed on a 500 ha site. They will build "289 towers at the same time", one of the advertisements said.
Denny Indrayana, a lawyer representing MSU, said the company would continue the construction of the Meikarta project.
"MSU will fulfill our responsibilities regarding the construction of Meikarta to make sure all processes are carried out according to the law," Denny said in a written statement last week. (kuk/evi)
