Rahmat Effendi Allegedly Ordered To Cut Urban Village Allowance Budgets In Bekasi City

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that the inactive Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi or Pepen has ordered a reduction in the allowance budget in several urban villages. This allegation was investigated by examining two village heads last Friday, February 4th.

Two lurahs were called as witnesses. They are Bahrudin, who is the Head of Jakamulya Sub-district, South Bekasi District, and the Bojongmenteng Village Head, Rawalumbu District, Hasan Sumalawat.

"Both of them were present and further confirmed regarding the alleged budget cuts in allowances in several urban villages in the Bekasi City Government," Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Affairs Ali Fikri told reporters on Saturday.

Ali said investigators suspect this cut was an order given by Pepen.

In this case, Pepen was named along with eight other people as suspects in the alleged bribery in the procurement of goods and services as well as the auction of positions in the Bekasi City Government.

Pepen with the Secretary of the Investment Office and PTSP, M Bunyamin; Head of Jatisari Village, Mulyadi; 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 four suspected givers are the Director of PT MAM Energindo, Ali Amril; private party, Lai Bui Min; Director of Bintang Rayatri City, Suryadi; and the sub-district head of Rawalumbu, Makhfud Saifudin.

Pepen is suspected of receiving billions of rupiah as a commitment fee from the private sector whose land was acquired for a project belonging to the Bekasi City Government and received compensation. However, he called the money a mosque donation code.

In addition to the bribes above, the KPK revealed that Pepen also received money related to project management and contract labor at the Bekasi City Government in the amount of IDR 30 million. The money was given by the Director of PT MAM Energindo, Ali Amril, and received by the Secretary of the Investment Office and PTSP Bekasi City, M Bunyamin.

Furthermore, he received some money from employees at the Bekasi City Government in exchange for their position. However, it did not specify how much money the Golkar Party politician received.