Deti Mega Purnamasari & Erwin Sihombing, Jakarta – Former Jakarta Transportation Office chief Udar Pristono was arrested on Thursday for his role in the allegedly crooked procurement of buses for the TransJakarta network, with the Attorney General's Office weighing the possibility of also leveling more serious charges of money laundering.

Udar was arrested after undergoing a grueling 10-hour questioning by the AGO and will be detained for the next 20 days at the Salemba prison in East Jakarta.

AGO spokesman Tony Spontana confirmed Udar's arrest and said it was based on evidence, rather than political pressure, as has been speculated in the past.

The arrest follows the purchase of faulty buses from China for the TransJakarta system at a cost of Rp 1.5 trillion ($125 million) in 2013. When the buses arrived in the capital earlier this year, many were discovered to have missing or broken components. Some of the ostensibly new vehicles were already rusting.

Udar, who signed off on the contract, said on Thursday that he hoped justice would be served. "I hope the AGO can give the fairest decision in light of my services for the Jakarta administration," he said.

Further investigation is likely to follow Udar's arrest, and the AGO is said to be considering charging him with money laundering. "Everything will happen due process; we'll deal with the corruption first and the money laundering later," AGO prosecutor Widyo Pramono said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/former-city-transport-chief-arrested-transjakarta-graft-probe/