'Mosque Donation' Becomes Effendi Palak's Code Of Grace For Recipients Of Compensation For Land Acquisition In Bekasi

Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi was named a suspect and immediately detained by the KPK (PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi or Pepen uses the code 'mosque donation' to request a commitment fee from a number of parties receiving compensation for land acquisition for projects in Bekasi City.

The chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri revealed that this case began when the Bekasi City Government set the 2021 APBD-P for capital expenditure compensation.

The total budget reached IDR 286.5 billion, with details of the acquisition of school land in the Rawalumbu area worth IDR 21.8 billion and the land acquisition of Polder 202 worth IDR 25.8 billion.

In addition, there is also a budget for land acquisition for Polder Air Kranji worth Rp. 21.8 billion and to continue the joint technical building construction project worth Rp. 15 billion.

Regarding this, Firli said that Pepen then determined the location of the land and directly selected the private party whose land was used. The goal is to prevent them from terminating existing work contracts.

In addition, Pepen was also revealed to have asked the private party for some money as a form of commitment. Only, he used the mosque donation code.

"As a form of commitment, the suspect RE allegedly asked for a sum of money from the party whose land was compensated by the Bekasi City Government, including by using the designation for mosque donations," said Firli.

After receiving the request, the private sector, namely Lai Bui Min; Director of PT Kota Bintang Rayatri, Suryadi; and the sub-district head of Rawalumbu, Makhfud Saifudin, handed over some money through Pepen's confidants, namely the Head of the Bekasi City Housing, Settlement and Defense Office, Jumhana Lutfi and the Head of Jatisampurna Sub-district, Wahyudin.

"These parties handed over a sum of money through intermediaries of their trusted people, JL who received Rp 4 billion from LBM, WY who received Rp 3 billion from MS, and on behalf of a donation to one of the mosques under the RE family's foundation in the amount of Rp. Rp100 million from SY," said Firli.

As previously reported, the KPK has named nine suspects in the bribery case for the procurement of goods and services and the auction of positions at the Bekasi City Government.

Pepen with M. Bunyamin who is the Secretary of the Bekasi City Investment Office and PTSP; Head of Kati Sari Village, Mulyadi alias Bayong; Jatisampurna Sub-district Head, Wahyudin; and the Head of the Bekasi City Housing, Settlement and Land Office, Jumhana Lutfi, were named as recipients of bribes.

Meanwhile the Director of PT MAM Energindo, Ali Amril; private company named Lai Bui Min; Director of PT Kota Bintang Rayatri, Suryadi; and the sub-district head of Rawa Lumbu, Makhfud Saifudin, was named the bribe giver.

For their actions, Pepen and other bribe recipients were suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 11 and Article 12 letter f and Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 to 1 of the Criminal Code.

While the bribe givers are suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or Article 5 paragraph (1) letter b or Article 13 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendment to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code.