Ruling Party's politician Stands Corruption Trial

Jakarta - Angelina Sondakh (Angie), a politician of the ruling Democratic Party said she was healthy and ready to hear charges in her first trial as defendant at the Jakarta Special Corruption Court here Thursday. The team of prosecutors of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Angie had received bribe from contractors seeking to win contracts for government projects. Angie and Muhammad Nazaruddin, another law maker of the ruling party had cooperated in arranging the winners of contracts for government projects for which they received illegal fee, the prosecutor said. Angie and Nazaruddion were both members of Commission X dealing with sports and youth affairs. The prosecutor said in 2011 Angie demanded a fee of 5 percent of the value of a project of athlete houses built in Palembang, South Sumatra when the proposed budget for the project was discussed at the Commission. Nazaruddin and Wafid Muharam, former secretary of the sport minister have been convicted in the case and are now serving jail terms in Jakarta. (*)