BANDUNG – A hearing for the criminal case of alleged project fee extortion in the Bekasi Regency Government at the Bandung District Court with defendant Sarjan, held in the Kusumah Atmadja room, presented several witnesses from the civil service apparatus: the Head of the Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office, the Head of the Water Resources and Highways Office, the Head of the Public Works Office Beny Sugiharto, and the Head of Division Fauzi, as well as from the private sector, Yayat.

The KPK prosecutor grilled the Head of the Public Works Office, Beny Sugiarto, who was sitting in the witness chair, bringing to light the trial fact that Beny admitted to receiving Rp 500 million from defendant Sarjan.

“Where did you put the money? 500 million is a lot,” asked the prosecutor, met with Beny’s answer, “I put it in the car, I didn’t take it home,” he answered.

The curious prosecutor then questioned why the 500 million rupiah given by defendant Sarjan was not stored at home.

“Why not take it home? Afraid of your wife?” asked the prosecutor, which made the courtroom visitors laugh.

Beny did not deny the KPK prosecutor’s statement, even confirming that if the money was stored at home, he was worried his wife would ask for the 500 million.

“Yes, that’s right…,” Beny said briefly while also chuckling.

The hearing, which lasted more than 4 hours, revealed another fact: several names were mentioned, such as Halim Ginanjar, Iin Farihin, Nyai, Jejen Sayuti, Abah Kunang, and the inactive Bekasi Regent, Ade Kuswara Kunang.

After the hearing, the KPK prosecutor emphasized the judge’s statement which mentioned that the actions of the witnesses from the civil service could be categorized as gratuities.

“The judge stated something like that, we will see later. It was conveyed that there had already been a fee payment of 10 percent of the project value at the Water Resources and Highways Office,” said the prosecutor.

It is known that in this case, the KPK has named three people as suspects: the inactive Bekasi Regent, Ade Kuswara Kunang; Ade Kuswara’s father, HM Kunang; and the private party, Sarjan.

The inactive Regent Ade and HM Kunang are suspected of receiving project fee extortion money amounting to Rp 9.5 billion.

The project was reportedly planned to be executed in 2026. The money was referred to as an advance payment for project assurance.

Bekasi Regency Government

The Bekasi Regency Government is the administrative authority overseeing the regency (kabupaten) of Bekasi, located in West Java, Indonesia. Historically, the area has been an important part of the Sunda Kingdom and later the Dutch East Indies, with its modern government structure evolving as part of Indonesia’s post-independence regional autonomy. Today, it manages a rapidly developing region known for its industrial growth and as a key residential area for Greater Jakarta.

Bandung District Court

The Bandung District Court is a general court of first instance in West Java, Indonesia, established during the Dutch colonial era. It handles civil, criminal, and other legal matters for the Bandung city area, operating within the modern Indonesian judicial system reformed after the country’s independence.

Kusumah Atmadja room

The Kusumah Atmadja Room is a historic chamber within the Supreme Court of Indonesia in Jakarta, named after the court’s first Chief Justice, Raden Soelaiman Effendi Koesoemah Atmadja. It primarily serves as a ceremonial and meeting hall, symbolizing the independence of the judiciary since the nation’s founding in 1945. The room is a testament to the early establishment of Indonesia’s modern legal system.

Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office

The Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office is a modern administrative government department, typically established in the late 20th or early 21st century by local or national governments. Its history is rooted in the growing public policy focus on promoting community well-being, healthy lifestyles, and economic development through organized youth programs, athletic facilities, and the management of local tourist attractions.

Water Resources and Highways Office

The Water Resources and Highways Office is a modern administrative government building in Taiwan, serving as the headquarters for the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Water Resources Agency and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Highway Bureau. It was completed in 2004 in the Xinzhuang District of New Taipei City, consolidating these key infrastructure departments into a single, efficient facility to manage the island’s water systems and road networks.

Public Works Office

The Public Works Office is a historic government building in Singapore, constructed in the 1920s to house the colonial Public Works Department responsible for the city’s infrastructure. Designed in a distinctive Neo-Classical style, it stands as an architectural landmark and a symbol of Singapore’s early urban development and British colonial administration.

KPK

“KPK” refers to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan, historically significant as part of the ancient Gandhara civilization and a crossroads along the Silk Road. It is known for its rugged mountains, Pashtun culture, and historical sites like the Buddhist ruins at Takht-i-Bahi. The region has a complex history of various empires and remains a key area in Pakistan’s cultural and geopolitical landscape.

Bekasi Regent

The Bekasi Regent (Bupati Bekasi) is not a specific cultural site but the title for the head of Bekasi Regency in West Java, Indonesia. The regency itself has a long history, with its name derived from the ancient Sundanese Kingdom of Tarumanagara, and it became a significant administrative region during the Dutch colonial era. Today, the term commonly refers to the local government leadership and the regency’s administrative center in Cikarang.