The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono as a witness in a corruption case involving the Riau province Youth and Sports Office head Lukman Abbas.
Lukman and Riau Governor Rusli Zainal, who have been banned from traveling overseas, are suspected of bribing several members of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) in connection with deciding the budget for the construction of the PON venue. Councillors Taufan Andoso Yakin, M. Faisal Aswan and M. Dunir were arrested along with Lukman and his member of staff Eka Dharma Putra as well as Rahmat Syahputra of state-owned developer PT PP.
The budget for the development of the shooting venue increased from Rp 42 billion (US$4.45 million) to Rp 62 billion based on the revised bylaw No. 6/2010, of which the Riau councillors were believed to have demanded Rp 900 million in bribes to revise the bylaw.
The KPK is also busy with its investigations of number of corruption cases in Buol regency, Central Sulawesi, that involved businesswoman Siti Hartati Murdaya. Buol Regent Amran Batalipu was arrested on Friday as a suspect in a corruption case linked to the issuance of a license to an oil palm plantation.
The KPK has also named Yani Anshori, director of PT Citra Cakra Murdaya, and Gondo Sudjono, operations director of PT Hardaya Inti Plantation, as suspects in the case. Both firms belong to Hartati, who has been slapped with an overseas travel ban since Wednesday.
The antigraft body has also named lawmaker Zulkarnaen Djabar of the House of Representatives’ Commission VIII, which oversees religion, social affairs and the empowerment of women, and his son Dendi Prasetya, as suspects in the Koran procurement project.
Despite the ongoing investigation into the case, however, the House surprisingly approved a request to double the budget for Koran procurement for this year, to Rp 110 million from the original Rp 50 million.
The project will likely implicate more lawmakers as a majority of the commission’s members were reported to have accepted hundreds of Korans to the later being distributed to their constituents.
The three cases are only a few of the numerous cases being handled by the KPK. It should be a public concern that the antigraft body has been burdened with mounting cases. The consequence is that it will take the KPK longer to complete its investigations and progress cases to the Corruption Court.
We expect the KPK to focus its investigations on high-profile cases linked to high-profile people and the Corruption Court deals out harsher punishments to convicts when compared to regular courts. But many cases are hanging in the air and the public has no idea when those cases will be solved.
Meanwhile, Jakartans are awaiting their second gubernatorial direct election, with six pairs of candidates racing to win the people’s hearts with their promises, which are hopefully not empty.
It is good to know that the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) has already limited public convoys and mass campaigning, which has minimized the possibility of traffic jams in business districts on working days, although some areas have remained congested in during massive weekend campaigning.
Regardless of the recent negative campaigns prior to the closing of the campaign period on Saturday, some seven million Jakartans are expected to show up at voting booths next Wednesday to cast their votes and elect the six pairs of candidates they deem the best capable of improving the capital.
The six pairs of candidates – Fauzi Bowo-Nachrowi Ramli, Alex Noerdin-Nono Sampono, Joko Widodo-Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Hidayat Nurwahid-Didik J. Rachbini, Faisal Basri-Biem Benjamin and Hendardji Soepandji-Ahmad Riza Patria – have used the campaign period to approach their constituents, revealing their campaign pledges to make Jakarta a better place to live.
The candidates showered their constituents with promises that even the incumbent governor has failed to achieve, including free 12-year education; free and good quality health services; remedying the city’s traffic congestion within three years; speedy public services; reforming the bureaucracy; and better handling the city’s annual floods.
A capital and a melting pot, Jakarta has the most complex problems compared to other areas in the country. With a population of over 10 million, Jakarta needs a capable governor and his deputy to deal with these problems.
We hope the voters make the right choice on July 11.
Meanwhile in sport, the soccer hangover is finally over. Spain’s successful victory at the European Championship extended the World Cup holder’s lead at the summit of the FIFA world rankings.
Seemingly light years behind, Indonesia has seen its ranking slip to 153 from its previous level of 151, but at least soccer fans here recently had the privilege of witnessing the live performances of Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso – members of the current Spanish squad – in at friendly match at the Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan.
Next up for Indonesia is the London Olympic Games at the end of the month, but the country’s chance to win another gold medal is dimming as its shuttlers are achieving less on the international stage.
Spain’s victory should serve as an inspiration for Indonesia.
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