Police Will Help Hunt Mardani Maming, Even Though Haven't Received Letter From KPK

JAKARTA - The National Police stated that they had not received a letter from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) regarding a request for assistance to hunt down the former Regent of Tanah Bumbu, South Kalimantan, Mardani H. Maming. Mardani Maming is now on the wanted list (DPO).

Mardani Maming was declared a fugitive after he failed to cooperate in responding to the investigator's summons and was unable to be picked up by force.

"I have asked the Director of Corruption (Corruption Crimes) that the letter has not been received," said Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo to VOI, Tuesday, July 26.

However, Dedi stated that the National Police would assist the anti-corruption agency to locate and hunt down Mardani's whereabouts.

Even all the information and the progress of the search process will be coordinated.

"In principle, the Directorate of General Crimes will maximally assist the search," said Dedi.

The KPK included Mardani in the DPO as of Tuesday, July 26. Previously, he was absent from the summons of investigators as a suspect twice.

When investigators visited his apartment in the Jakarta area, Mardani was also nowhere to be seen. So, investigators went home empty-handed.

Mardani was named a suspect after being prevented from going abroad by the Directorate General of Immigration at the request of the KPK. Before being named a suspect, he had also been questioned.

However, after being questioned, Mardani admitted that he was asked for information regarding his problem with the owner of PT Jhonlin Group Samsudin Andi Arsyad alias Haji Isam.

Even so, Maming's name was actually mentioned as receiving Rp89 billion in money in a trial for alleged bribery for a mining business permit (IUP) in Tanah Bumbu Regency which was held at the Tipikor Court, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Kalsel).

This allegation was conveyed by the younger brother of former President Director of PT Prolindo Cipta Nusantara (PCN) Henry Soetio, Christian Soetio. At that time, Christian claimed to know that there was a flow of funds to the former Regent of Tanah Bumbu Mardani H Maming through PT Permata Abadi Raya (PAR) and PT Trans Surya Perkasa (TSP).

The money transfer has been going on since 2014. The amount of tens of billions of rupiah is referred to as the amount quoted based on PT PCN's financial statements.