Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Prosecutors will soon launch an investigation into the development of public facilities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, following allegations of misappropriation of state funds earmarked for the project.
"We received information that renovations of washrooms at the airport cost Rp 40 billion (US$4 million). This is very odd," Tangerang head prosecutor Agus Sutoto said Monday.
"We are still monitoring and collecting supporting data about the project work to date."
He said prosecutors who had inspected the recently opened washrooms at terminals I and II and other public areas at the airport had found nothing special about the new facilities.
"However, we have to be very careful in launching an investigation into the airport because there are so many vested interests there," he said.
Agus added that if prosecutors found sufficient initial evidence of misappropriation of project funds, the investigation would be developed.
Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II inaugurated the new facilities on Sept. 23 as part of its Clean Airport Action (CAA) program. The program consisted of upgrades to facilities such as restrooms and musholla (prayer rooms).
At the inauguration ceremony, attended by Transportation Minister Jusman Syafei Jamal and Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, PT Angkasa Pura president director Eddie Haryoto announced that the CAA program had cost Rp 59 billion.
"We installed 139 new toilets and renovated 168 existing ones and we constructed nine prayer rooms in response to public complaints about conditions at the airport," Eddie said at that time.
Other items listed as included in the improvement plan are an integrated food court, new trash cans and more seats in waiting areas.
In response to suggestions of possible misuse of funds from the renovation project, Angkasa Pura II spokesman Trisno Heryadi said the budget was not used for toilet renovations alone.
"Rp 40 billion was an accumulative figure of the entire renovation work, covering toilets, musholla, bus shelters, a canopy for the terminal lobby and infrastructure such as the three-lane ring road in front of terminal I," he said.
All construction and renovation projects had been open for tender and had been carried out in line with the appropriate procedures, he added.
"The improvements of public facilities at the airport were financed from PT Angkasa Pura's own budget and not from the state budget," Trisno said.
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