"Other businesses pay 100 percent in advance."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Politician Angelina Patricia Pinkan Sondakh (Angie) here on Thursday was charged with receiving Rp33.73 billion from Permai Group.

"Angelina as a state official namely a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) in the period of 2009-2014 has received Rp12.58 billion and US$ 2.35 million," public prosecutor Agus Salim said reading the charges at the corruption court.

The total if the dollar amount was converted into the rupiah at an exchange rate of Rp9,000 per US dollar would reach Rp33.73 billion, he said.

"The money was given to the defendant as a member of the DPR`s Budget Committee and Coordinator of the Budget Working Group from House Commission X for her readiness to help Permai Group get the budget it demanded for projects of the high learning institute programs of the ministry of education and facility procurement programs of the ministry of sports and youth affairs," he said.

Early in 2010 Angie and Mindo Rosalina Manulang from Permai Grup met to discuss Angie`s readiness to help lead the budget discussion to meet the demand of Permai Group owned by M. Nazaruddin, Angie`s fellow member of Commission X and ruling Democrat Party faction.

"In the middle of March 2010, Angie expressed her readiness to help Mindo in exchange for a seven percent fee 50 percent of which must be paid when the budget discussion began and the rest after the funds were disbursed," he said.

Mindo then reported it to Nazaruddin who "asked for the fee to be reduced to five percent only which would be paid only after the list of approved projects (DIPA) is issued."

Mindo again met Angie at her office at DPR and conveyed Nazaruddin`s demand.

In response Angie said "let`s do it this way. As you are introduced by Pak (Mr) Nazar, my friend in DPR and Democrat Party let`s make it five percent but if people ask you must say seven percent.

However Angie maintained that fifty percent of the fee must be paid in advance because the crucial stage was the discussions.

"Other businesses pay 100 percent in advance. We only ask you 50 percent so that we can secure it at the leadership level," the prosecutor said.

The money was then paid to Angie from March to November 2010 in a number of places such as Angie`s office in DPR, the office of Deputy Coordinator of Working Group I, I Wayan Koster, at DPR, Century Hotel and Paparon`s Pizza Restaurant in Warung Buncit.

Angie was charged with violating several articles in the law on corruption and if convicted she could face life in prison.

In response to the charges Angie said she would submit herself to fate.

"I have heard the charges and I submit myself to God," she said.
(T.D017/Uu.H-YH/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012