Disappointed That Bekasi Mayor Is Caught In OTT, Firli: He Lives Not Far From My House

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri admitted that he was disappointed with the arrest of the inactive Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi or commonly known as Pepen. The disappointment is getting worse because Pepen lives not far from his house.

"It's a pity that entering the new year we actually get a criminal act committed by an official who lives not far from the capital city. He even lives not far from my house in Bekasi," Firli wrote in his Instagram account, @firlibahuriofficial quoted Monday, January 10.

Firli said the mode of bribery related to the procurement of goods and services as well as job auctions is actually not new and is often handled by the anti-corruption commission. However, Pepen seemed unable to take lessons and instead became one of the perpetrators.

"This incident is repeated for so many times with almost the same mode," said the former Deputy for Enforcement of the KPK.

With this condition, Firli asked all parties to take the silent operation that captured Pepen as a lesson. He did not want another similar incident to ensnare other officials and regional heads.

"It is a deep concern that this is an event that is repeated so many times with almost the same mode," he said.

"I want to invite all of us to think so that we find a comprehensive and complete solution," added Firli.

As previously reported, the KPK has named Rahmat Effendi or Pepen along with eight other people as suspects in the alleged bribery in the procurement of goods and services as well as the auction of positions in the Bekasi City Government.

Pepen with M. Bunyamin who is the Secretary of the Bekasi City Investment Office and PTSP; Head of Kati Sari Village, Mulyadi alias Bayong; Jatisampurna Sub-district Head, Wahyudin; and the Head of the Bekasi City Housing, Settlement and Land Office, Jumhana Lutfi, were named as recipients of bribes.

Meanwhile the Director of PT MAM Energindo, Ali Amril; private named Lai Bui Min; Director of PT Kota Bintang Rayatri, Suryadi; and the sub-district head of Rawa Lumbu, Makhfud Saifudin, was named the bribe giver.

In this case, Pepen is suspected of receiving billions of rupiah as a commitment fee from the private sector whose land was acquired for a project belonging to the Bekasi City Government and received compensation. However, he called the money a mosque donation code.

In addition to the bribes above, the KPK also revealed that Pepen received money related to project management and contract labor at the Bekasi City Government in the amount of Rp. 30 million. The money was given by the Director of PT MAM Energindo, Ali Amril, and received by the Secretary of the Investment Office and PTSP Bekasi City, M Bunyamin.

Later, he also received some money from employees at the Bekasi City Government in return for their position. It was not specified how much money the Golkar Party politician received.

However, the money found from the gifts given by the employees was only Rp600 million left when the silent operation was carried out. Allegedly, the money already exists which was used in part to meet its operational needs.