Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Evidence has been presented to The Jakarta Post that may implicate yet another Democratic Party politician in a kickback scandal.
The allegations involve Democratic Party lawmaker Supomo, who was summoned by the House of Representative's ethics council last week to discuss allegations he accepted bribes to disburse state money to the Cianjur Regional Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Also in the hot seat in the scandal, which involves kickbacks totalling Rp 1.2 billion (US$124,177) allegedly paid to expedite the disbursement of the funds, may be another Democratic Party lawmaker Gondo Radityo Gambiro.
A copy of a money transfer receipt obtained by The Jakarta Post may indicate that Gondo, a deputy chairman of the House Commission VIII overseeing religion and social affairs, allegedly received Rp 21 million, ostensibly for expediting disbursement of the money.
The money, wired to the bank account of Gondo's special assistant, Hardian Haryanto, was sent by Endah Maryanisari, an aide to Cianjur BNPB official Muhammad Sukarya, in June 2011.
Written on the slip were the words "untuk Bpk. Radito G", or for Bapak Radito G. The chairman of the House ethics council, M. Prakosa, a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PSI-P), said that the council would summon Gondo and Hardian next week to discuss the allegations.
"There is proof of a money transfer, indicating that both parties [Gondo and Sukarya] communicated with each other," Prakosa said. "We need to summon Gondo and his aide as well as other witnesses to get comprehensive information on the allegations," Prakosa added.
The council is also expected to summon Supomo and his former staffer Haris Hartoyo again this week. Haris allegedly demanded the kickbacks from Sukarya on behalf of Supomo in 2010.
The ethics council would also ask for the assistance of the National Police in finding Haris, who has been missing since he was fired by Supomo on Feb. 14, Prakosa said.
"We've tried to call Haris to ask him to have a meeting with us. We will ask the police to help search for him and bring him here if we continue to fail to find him," Prakosa added.
After a two-hour closed door meeting with the council last week, Supomo told reporters that he was innocent, claiming that his decision to fire Haris was proof that his former aide was guilty of abusing his good name.
Gondo said he had no knowledge of the allegations. "I don't even know who this Sukarya is," Gondo told the Post on Sunday. "My staffer also told me that he had never received any money from anybody linked to Sukarya. I don't know what's behind these allegations."
Gondo said that his fellow Democratic lawmakers in the House had given him their support. "I fully trust the Democratic Party faction at the House to help me with this, because I'm sure I'm innocent. I'm ready to be questioned by the ethics council anytime, and I will tell them about everything that I know," he added.
Sukarya filed a complaint with the council late last year after his office had yet to receive the funds, claiming that Supomo had promised him that the funds would be disbursed in late 2011.
A source close to the council who declined to be named to discuss the issue said that complaints on kickbacks related to the disbursement of aid funds was one of many cases involving lawmakers.
"Many more are left unreported, because parties have their hands full on projects that have closed deals, such as one in Ternate [Maluku]," the source said.