Fajarasia.id – The Mayor of Singkawang, West Kalimantan, Tjhai Chui Mie, appeared before the Pontianak Corruption Court (Tipikor) on Friday (Nov 21) to testify in the ongoing trial over alleged corruption in the management of Pasir Panjang land rights (HPL).
This was her second summons after she was unable to attend the earlier session due to official engagements with two Deputy Ministers visiting Singkawang. “I was asked to attend in order to provide testimony as a witness in the Pasir Panjang HPL case,” she said following the hearing.
Mayor Tjhai emphasized that her presence in court reflects both her responsibility as a citizen and her commitment as a regional leader to support transparent legal proceedings. “As a citizen and as mayor, I have given testimony based on the facts I know. Nothing is concealed, so that this case can be clarified and justice upheld,” she stated.
She also urged the public to respect the judicial process and avoid speculation outside the courtroom. “Let us uphold the presumption of innocence and entrust the process entirely to the judges. We hope the proceedings run smoothly and deliver a fair verdict for all parties,” she added.
The case stems from irregularities in granting fee reductions for the use of HPL land in Sedau Village, South Singkawang District, in 2021.
The Singkawang District Prosecutor’s Office has named three suspects: S, the former city secretary who also served as acting mayor; WT, head of the regional financial agency (BPKAD); and PG, head of the local revenue agency (Bapenda). An audit by the West Kalimantan BPKP estimated state losses at Rp3.142 billion.
Investigators have examined 23 witnesses and three expert witnesses, including specialists in state finance, criminal law, and state loss calculation. The defendants face charges under Article 2(1) and Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31/1999, as amended by Law No. 20/2001 on Anti-Corruption, along with Article 55(1) of the Criminal Code.
The case remains under review at the Pontianak Corruption Court, where judges continue to hear witness testimony to establish the full legal framework of the allegations.****
