Bukaka allowed to join retender of power transmission project

The consortium of PT Bukaka Mega Eltra Wijaya Karya is still allowed to join the retendering of the US$75 million 500 KV power transmission project from East Java to West Java, according to president of the state electricity firm PT PLN Kuntoro Mangkusubroto.

Kuntoro was responding to a question from legislator during a hearing session with the House of Representatives commission VIII on oil, gas, mines and energy.

Bukaka had actually won the tender for the project, but PLN had to cancel it after a study made by the Ministry of Mines and Energy revealed that the consortium was financially and technically unfit.

Kuntoro said that Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Kwik Kian Gie ordered for the retendering of the project in May.

There's been rumors that President Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur has been behind the cancellation of the project. Rumors has it that Gus Dur wanted a consortium led by Shanghai Trans to win the project.

Kuntoro admitted that Gus Dur's Chinese traditional heeler by the name of Daniel Tay had came to him to demand that a consortium he represented to win the project.

Daniel is believed to represent Shanghai Trans.

The House said on Tuesday that it would summon Kwik later to clarify this matter.

Meanwhile, Kuntoro said that the company was already prepared to face the plans by former minister of trade and industry Jusuf Kala, who owns the Bukaka group, to file lawsuit against PLN.

Kalla was fired a couple of months ago by Gus Dur from the cabinet. There was no clear reason for the dismissal. (*)