Corruption Of The President's Social Assistance Worked By The KPK Turns Out To Be A Basic Food Package In A Goodiebag With An Palace Logo

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has uncovered allegations of corruption in the president's social assistance (bansos) related to basic necessities in a red and white goodiebag bearing the Presidential Palace which was distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspect is said to have reduced the quality of existing goods.

"That's right (the president's social assistance uses goodiebags, ed)," said KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika when confirmed by VOI, Thursday, June 27.

While on a separate occasion, Tessa said that the mode of corruption that occurred was not inflating the prices of the basic necessities in it. Instead, the suspect lowered his quality.

"(The suspect's mode, red) reduces the quality of social assistance," he said in a written statement, Wednesday, June 26.

The suspect in this case that has just been conveyed is the President Director of Mitra Energi Persada, Ivo Wongkaren. His actions made the state lose up to Rp125 billion and the amount could still increase because the calculation was still being carried out.

Tessa said this case emerged after an investigation was carried out after the KPK ensnared former Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Juliari Batubara. He said, at that time there were reports from the public.

"(The investigation began, ed) from a public report during the 2020 Ministry of Social's hand arrest operation (OTT) which was followed up with an investigation," he said.

The KPK is currently still investigating. Most recently, they summoned two civil servants (PNS) of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) as witnesses on Thursday, June 27.

The investigators worked on were Fajar Khoerul and Annastasia Hustitie. The examination was carried out at the West Java BPKP Office.