KPK Ultimatum Minister Of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara, Corruption Suspect Bansos COVID-19 Turns Over

JAKARTA - The KPK has held an ultimatum for Social Affairs Minister Juliari Peter Batubara (JPB) to surrender himself along with the suspect Adi Wahyono (AW). Social Minister Juliari was named a suspect in the corruption of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19.

"The KPK appealed to JPB (Juliari P Batubara) and AW (Adi Wahyono) to cooperate and surrender to the KPK immediately," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri during a press conference at the KPK building, Sunday, December 6 in the morning.

Social Minister Juliari Batubara became a corruption suspect after the KPK examined witnesses and evidence of the arrest operation on Saturday, December 5 at 02.00 WIB. In the OTT, Menos Juliari's men, namely the official who made the commitment at the Ministry of Social Affairs Matheus Joko Santoso (MJS) were also arrested.

The KPK confiscated Rp14.5 billion in the COVID-19 social assistance OTT. This money is stored 7 suitcases, 3 backpacks and a small envelope. There is a rupiah currency and a dollar from the COVID-19 social assistance corruption money.

"Each of them is around Rp. 11.9 billion, around USD 171,085 (equivalent to Rp. 2,420 billion) and around SGD 23,000 (equivalent to Rp. 243 million)," said Firli.

The KPK OTT was carried out in relation to the provision of social assistance for COVID-19 in the form of basic food packages at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020 with a value of around Rp. 5.9 trillion with a total of 272 contracts and carried out in 2 periods.

"JPB (Juliari P Batubara) as the Minister of Social Affairs appointed MJS and AW as PPK in the implementation of the project by directly appointing partners and it is suspected that it was agreed to determine a fee for each work package which partners must deposit to the Ministry of Social Affairs through MJS," said Firli, referring to the COVID-19 social assistance mode of corruption at the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The KPK said that the fee for each Bansos package was agreed upon by MJS and AW of IDR 10,000 per food package, of a value of IDR 300 thousand per social assistance package.

Furthermore, by MJS and AW in May to November 2020, work contracts were made with several suppliers as partners, including AIM, HS and also PT RPI (Rajawali Parama Indonesia) which allegedly belonged to MJS.

"The appointment of PT RPI as one of the partners was allegedly known by JPB (Juliari Peter Batubara) and approved by AW," said Firli.