KPK Checks Commissioner Rajawali Parama Indonesia Witnesses Of Bansos Case For Social Assistance Procurement At The Ministry Of Social Affairs

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) examined the Commissioner of PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia (RPI) Daning Saraswati. Daning was a witness in the alleged bribery case for the provision of social assistance (bansos) for COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area.

He was examined to complete the dossier on the alleged commitment-making official (PPK) at the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos), namely Matheus Joko Santoso (MJS).

"The witness is being questioned regarding the confiscation of a number of documents related to this case," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri in his written statement, Thursday, January 11.

Previously, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Greater Jakarta area including the non-active Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as recipients of bribes and AIM and HS as the givers of bribes.

This case began when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi to carry out this project by directly appointing partners. The KPK suspects that it was agreed that there was a fee from the work package that partners had to pay to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

There is also a fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package agreed by Matheus and Adi of IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia alias PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus and whose appointment was known to Juliari.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of IDR 12 billion is suspected. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.