‘Political dynasty’ rules Karawang: Samad

JAKARTA. Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Abraham Samad said that a string of acts of corruption had been carried out by the family of Karawang Regent Ade Swara, who was arrested on Thursday night.

“We’ve again found a political dynasty that has bred crime. This is very dangerous,” Samad said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Ade and his wife Nurlatifah were arrested for extorting executives of PT Tatar Kertabumi, a subsidiary of PT Agung Podomoro Land, in return for issuing a permit to build a mall in Karawang.

The KPK alleged that Ade asked his wife to demand that the company pay the equivalent of Rp 5 billion (US$430,477) in US dollars, in cash.

The antigraft body has also arrested other suspects and members of their families on corruption allegations in the past. Former Democratic Party lawmaker Muhammad Nazaruddin and his wife Neneng Sri Wahyuni, for instance, were involved in cases regarding solar power plant projects and Koran procurement.

Former Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah and her brother Tubagus Chaeri Wardana were allegedly involved in the bribery of then Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar for a favorable ruling for Lebak Deputy Regent Amir Hamzah.

Palembang mayor Romi Herton and his wife Masitoh were recently charged with allegedly bribing Akil in order to settle an election dispute benefiting Romi’s bid for the position of Palembang mayor.