REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo stated his readiness to testify to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators regarding alleged bribery case concerning the issuance of property permits for the modern city of Meikarta, the group’s flagship project. His name was mentioned by inactive Bekasi Regent Neneng Hassanah at the hearing on Monday (1/14).
According to Neneng, Tjahjo asked her to arrange Meikarta's permit. Tjahjo claimed, he called Neneng to assist Meikarta's permit in accordance with the existing regulations.
Tjahjo explained at that time, there was a problem in managing the Meikarta permit. There was difference in perception between West Java Provincial Government and Bekasi Regency Government.
According to Tjahjo, the licensing of the property development project was the authority of Bekasi Regency Government and West Java Provincial Government. Tjahjo revealed that the Home Affairs Ministry had been summoned by the House of Representatives and asked to immediately arrange a meeting for related parties.
Thus, the ministry facilitated the meeting of the two agencies to resolve the issue. "The report was given to me in those meeting. Then I called the director general, 'Is it done?' (answered) 'Yes, it is'. I called the regent, 'Please arrange it well. Please help so that the permits are done soon in accordance with the existing rules'," said Tjahjo repeating his orders to Neneng.
At that time, Neneng replied that she had already completed the licensing in accordance with the existing rules. "She answered 'yes according to the existing rules, it has been completed'," said Tjahjo.
However, he asserted, it was not the authority of the Home Affairs Ministry if the issue of licensing ended with the bribery case in KPK.
"That is not our authority. Regarding the Ministry's explanation about the meeting, the Director General has been called by KPK twice. It is clear," said Tjahjo.
According to him, there was no other meaning of the use of words 'please help...' which he meant to Neneng. Because during this time, he also often asked the regional government, both the governor, regent and mayor to immediately complete the management of permits in their respective regions.
"Yes, the sentence: 'please help to finish (the permits) soon', just like that. Because it involved regional investment. You can ask almost all of the governors which I invited often. Regarding the investment matters, there are many governors or mayors who come to my office," said Tjahjo.
Tjahjo was reffered by inactive Bekasi regent Neneng Hasanah in the trial of the alleged bribery for the Meikarta project at the Bandung Corruption Court in Bandung, West Java. According to Neneng, Tjahjo asked her to help with the arrangement of the Meikarta permit.
"Tjahjo Kumolo told me, 'Please help to arrange Meikarta's permit', "Neneng said in his testimony at the Bandung Corruption Court on Monday (Jan 14).
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She also claimed to be asked to come to Jakarta to meet Home Ministry's director general for regional autonomy, Sumarsono. This request was related to the results of a plenary meeting with former West Java Deputy Governor Deddy Mizwar. In a meeting to discuss land use utilization permits (IPPT), Deddy requested to postpone the issuance of the permit of property development in 84.6 hectares as the project area requires recommendations from the Governor of West Java.
"At that time (meeting in Jakarta), Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo phonecalled Mr. Sumarsono, spoke for a while. Then Mr. Sumarsono gave the phone to me, and Tjahjo Kumolo told me, 'Please help to arrange Meikarta's permit' " she said.
Neneng agreed to Tjahjo's request. However, said Neneng, it must be in accordance with the regulations.
"I replied, 'Sir, the important thing is it have to be in accordance with the existing rules'," she said.
In the trial, Neneng said, Sumarsono would facilitate a meeting between the West Java Provincial Government, Bekasi Regency Government, and PT Mahkota Sentosa Utama as the developer of Meikarta.
KPK has named Bekasi Regent Neneng Hasanah Yasin, Administration’s Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Agency head Jamaludin, Investment Service and Integrated Licensing Services head Dewi Tisnawati, Fire Departement head Sahat Maju Banjar Nahor, Bekasi regency PUPR Agency’s spatial planning division head Neneng Rahmi, and Billy Sindoro, an executive of diversified conglomerate Lippo Group as suspects. They have been arrested for their involvement as bribe recipients of Meikarta licensing process.
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