KPK Will Ask The Reason Why TNI AU Has Stopped Investigating AW-101 Helicopter Corruption Allegations

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will coordinate with the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) following the termination of the investigation into alleged corruption in the procurement of the AW-101 helicopter against its officers. The aim is to ask the reason why the investigation was stopped.

"We will coordinate with the TNI. If it is true that the case has stopped there, what are the considerations," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata to reporters quoted on Thursday, December 30.

Alexander said that the KPK actually hopes that the officers who are suspects in the alleged corruption will continue to be processed. Moreover, the KPK has already handled the private parties involved in the corruption in the helicopter procurement.

"At that time, we hoped that the state administrators would be handled by the TNI. So the connection there, continued. There were charges and the indictment said that together with what we were handling, it was connected," he said.

"But, when the hook is stopped there, of course, the hook is not there for us. This is a state administrator," added Alexander.

The KPK believes that the helicopter procurement transaction has caused state losses. Thus, the investigation must still be carried out even though it must coordinate with other law enforcement officials.

"We will definitely review it later, if we still believe that the transaction resulted in a state loss, we can coordinate with other APH, the prosecutor's office or the police to handle it," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK said that the investigation into the alleged corruption of the AW-101 TNI AU helicopter had been stopped. KPK Director of Investigation Setyo Budiyanto said the TNI had stopped investigating the five officers who were suspects.

The five officers are the Deputy Governor of the Air Force Academy, First Marshal Fachry Adamy, who is a former commitment maker or Chief of the Procurement Staff of the Indonesian Air Force for 2016-2017.

In addition, there is also a Lieutenant Colonel of the Indonesian Air Force (Adm) WW as the former Head of Headquarters; Pelda SS as Bauryar Pekas Diskuau; Colonel (Ret.) FTS as former Sesdisadaau; and Marshal of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Ret.) SB as the Special Staff of the Kasau (former Asrena KSAU).

"The investigation into the AW-101 helicopter problem, coordination regarding issues or information related to the TNI has been stopped," Setyo said as quoted from the Indonesian KPK, Tuesday, December 28.

For information, in April 2016 the Indonesian Air Force purchased one unit of the AW-101 helicopter. In procuring the purchase of the helicopter, two companies participated in the auction, namely PT Diratama Jaya Mandiri and PT Karya Cipta Gemilang.

Then, PT Diratama Jaya Mandiri came out as the winner and increased the contract value to Rp738 billion. From the procurement project, it was detected that there was a price difference of Rp. 224 billion, which was indicated as state loss.