AGO investigates airport project

ID Nugroho , The Jakarta Post , Banyuwangi | Fri, 09/05/2008 11:31 AM | East Java

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named a number of former Banyuwangi administration officials as suspects in alleged corruption worth Rp 40 billion during the construction of Blimbing Sari Airport from 2003 to 2005.

The AGO investigation team leader Muhammad Anwar said his team had named seven former officials as suspects but three had not been detained.

He said the team planned to continue questioning Regent Ratna Ani Lestari over her alleged involvement in the case but was still waiting for a permit from the President.

"All suspects will be announced to the public immediately. They will be summoned to undergo a marathon investigation at the Banyuwangi attorney's office," he said after revealing the case in Banyuwangi on Wednesday.

The seven suspects include former regent Samsul Hadi, now serving a jail sentence for another corruption case, property broker H. Effendy, secretary of the regency administration Sudjiharto, former chief of the local development planning board Soeharno and former chief of the local agricultural agency Nawolo Prasetyo.

He said the seven suspects would be indicted for allegedly marking up the price of the 38 hectares of land earmarked for the airport in 2003 and 2005, causing Rp 40 billion in losses to the state.

Nawolo, now chief of the agrarian office in Sangata, East Kalimantan, and Sudhiharto have been detained in Banyuwangi. They and the other suspects they will undergo further interrogation.

"Sudjiharto is accused of disbursing funds for the land procurement and the regent is being held responsible for the mark-up case because he approved the land procurement," he said.

Separately, chairman of the local chapter of Nadhlatul Ulama Masykur Ali called on Ratna to step down from her position because of her alleged involvement in the case.

"It is better for the regent to step down for a fair investigation into the case because she has been held as a suspect," he said Tuesday while at a farewell party for former chief prosecutor Surana.

Ratna, who was accompanied by her husband I Gede Winasa, the regent of Jembrana in Bali, said she would not be pressured by the increasing demands for her resignation because she was not involved in the case.

"I don't know if I am a suspect. This is a consequence that I must take in my position as a public official. I didn't steal the people's money. Whatever happens, the administration must go on running," she said.

She said the new chief prosecutor should work professionally in carrying out a thorough investigation into the case.

The small airport construction has been completed but has yet to be opened. Another one in Jember began operating last month.

The two airports will serve the state-owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines and Tri GM to help improve public services and stimulate economic development in the province's eastern regions, including Banyuwangi and Jember.

The provincial legislative council praised the new airport although former and current Banyuwangi officials were allegedly involved in corruption surrounding its construction.

"The Banyuwangi people and the media should not stop with the corruption case but look at the regency's long-term development program," councilor Wahyudi of the East Java legislature council said.