Asked KPK To Investigate The Flow Of Social Assistance Funds To Private Parties

JAKARTA - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the flow of money to private parties in the alleged bribery for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) in Jabodetabek, which ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

This was conveyed by ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana in response to the mention of a number of names in the trial of this case by Juliari's former subordinates, namely two committed officials, Adi Wahyono and Matheus Djoko Santoso. At that time, the two of them were witnesses at the trial which was held on Monday, March 8.

"The KPK must investigate whether the private sector knows that the money given came from a crime," said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana in a written statement, Wednesday, March 10.

It is known, there are a number of private parties who were mentioned in court some time ago and one of them is the artist Cita Citata. His name is called Matheus Djoko Santoso, who received Rp150 million to fill a meeting held by the Ministry of Social Affairs in Labuhan Bajo.

"If the private party knows and continues to accept the gift, it is reasonable to suspect that he violated Article 5 Paragraph (1) of the TPPU Law as a passive actor and could be prosecuted by the KPK," said Kurnia.

Previously reported, former Ministry of Social (Kemensos) Commitment Making Officer (Kemensos) Adi Wahyono mentioned the names of company proposers in the social assistance (bansos) basic food supply project. One of them is Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Marwan Dasopang and former Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus.

Next, it was revealed that the flow of money from the vendors for the provision of COVID-19 Jabodetabek social assistance was also used to pay the famous lawyer Hotma Sitompul.

"There are attorneys' payments, payment for kunker needs to Semarang, then there are other costs for aircraft leases," said former Ministry of Social Affairs Commitment Making Officer (PPK) Adi Wahyono in a hearing at the Corruption Crime Court (Tipikor), Monday, March 8.

Adi Wahyono explained that the lawyers' money was related to the assistance in child cases handled by the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation. Adi said that this case has entered the trial process in court.

"I was called by the minister (at that time Juliari Batubara, red) to buy a lawyer," he continued.

The order to pay the lawyer was conveyed directly by Juliari Batubara. "At that time, preparing funds of around Rp. 3 billion," said Adi.

"What's his lawyer name?" asked the prosecutor.

"Pak Hotma Sitompul," said Adi Wahyono.

Still in the same session, the former COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) Commitment Making Officer (bansos), Matheus Joko Santoso, said that part of the social assistance fee collected from vendors of Rp.10 thousand per package is used to pay for various activities of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos). One of them is used for the payment of the artist Cita Rahayu or known as Cita Citata when filling an event in Labuan Bajo.

Matheus Joko Santoso's confession was conveyed when asked by the public prosecutor (JPU) to explain the use of the social assistance fee. Matheus said that the fee money from the vendor was used to pay bills for various activities.