Becoming A Suspect, The Mayor Of Cimahi Admits That He Is Lacking Knowledge Of Local Government Bribes

Mayor of Cimahi, Ajay Muhammad Priatna (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Mayor of Cimahi, Ajay Muhammad Priatna, admitted that he did not have sufficient knowledge that the receipt of a certain amount of regional head money from the private sector in a project was an act of corruption.

Ajay said this after he was named a suspect in a bribery case related to the construction permit for the Kasih Bunda General Hospital, before being taken to a detention center.

"What happened was that my friends won the construction tender. This is due to my ignorance. That's right, I don't read," said Ajay at the KPK's Red and White House, South Jakarta, Saturday, November 28.

Ajay said he helped the subcontractor win the tender for the construction of the Kasih Bunda General Hospital in exchange for a 10 percent profit share.

As a person with a private background, Ajay considers that he is personally permitted to receive the profit sharing money, even though he has become a regional head.

"I think it does not include any articles, because this is a private project. I used to be in the private sector, self-employed. This is not a bribe because the permit has been completed. Sharing the results, yes, but this is not a fee from the hospital owner," said Ajay. .

In this corruption case, Ajay asked for Rp3.2 billion. Initially, the Kasih Bunda General Hospital carried out the construction of additional buildings in 2019. Then, the hospital submitted a request for a revision of the IMB to the Cimahi City Investment and One Stop Integrated Service (DPMPTSP) Office.

"To take care of the construction permit, Hutama Yonathan as the owner of the Kasih Bunda Hospital met with the Mayor of Cimahi at a restaurant in Bandung," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri.

Ajay asked Hutama for Rp3.2 billion at the meeting. "The money in the amount of Rp. 3.2 billion is 10 percent of the planned budget value for hospital construction worth Rp. 32 billion," he said.

Firli said, it was agreed that the handover of the money would be handed over in stages by Chyntia as the financial staff of the Kasih Bunda Hospital through Yanti as Ajay's confidant.

The giving has been made since May 6, 2020. The last gift was on November 27, 2020 amounting to IDR 425 million before the KPK conducted a hand arrest operation (OTT).

"The gift to Ajay has been made 5 times in several places, amounting to around Rp. 1,661 billion from the Rp. 3.2 billion agreement," said Firli.

After a series of examinations and before the 24 hour deadline stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code, followed by a case title, the KPK concluded that there was an alleged corruption crime in the form of receiving gifts or promises by state officials regarding licensing in Cimahi City for the 2018-2020 Fiscal Year.

In the hand arrest activity since Friday, November 27, the KPK has arrested 11 people in several places, namely Bandung and Cimahi (West Java).

The eleven people are Ajay, Hutama, Chyntia, Yanti, Farid as Ajay's aide, Endi as Yanti's driver, Kamaludin as Chyntia's driver, Dominikus as the private party, Nungingsih as the hospital director, Hella as Head of the PTSP Service, and Aam as an employee of the PTSP Service.

Currently, Ajay and Hutama are named as suspects in a corruption case. Meanwhile, nine other people who were arrested for examination have been sent home.

Ajay and Hutama were detained at the detention center for the first 20 days starting from November 28, 2020 to December 17, 2020. Ajay was detained at the state detention center at the Central Jakarta Metro Police and Hutama at Polda Metro Jaya.