Hasto Admits He Was Threatened, Asked To Resign As Secretary General And Not Fire Jokowi

The Secretary General of the PDI-P, Hasto Kristiyanto, admitted that he had been asked by someone to resign from his position. He was even threatened with imprisonment if he did not comply with the request.

This statement was conveyed by Hasto when he was examined as a defendant in the trial of the alleged bribery case for the replacement process between the DPR's 2019-2024 period and the obstruction of Harun Masiku's investigation.

Hasto Kristiyanto's attorney, Maqdir Ismail, in the trial initially confirmed a statement regarding his client being asked to resign as Secretary General of PDIP

"I remember reading a statement regarding the incident on December 13, 2024. Before you were named a suspect, at that time if I'm not mistaken the news was that you were approached by a person who asked you to resign as the party secretary general," said Maqdir during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday, June 26.

"And then the second, to ask you to convey to you so that the president at that time Joko Widodo would not be stopped from his position as a party member?" he continued.

"That's right, that's even through some people that information," replied Hasto.

Then, Hasto said that the request from someone whose identity was not known was also heard by Deddy Sitorus and Ronny Tallapesy.

"His last permission, Brother Ronny also heard when he later to prove it, I contacted the person concerned to ask about the threat and Ronny listened that I had to resign as secretary general," he continued.

Behind the request, said Hasto, there was a threat given. The person said that if his request was not complied with, then Hasto would be sentenced to end up in prison.

"The threat is if you don't step down, will you really be punished or what will you do?" asked Maqdir.

"Suspected and jailed," said Hasto.

In this case, Hasto together with advocate Donny Tri Istiqomah, former PDIP cadre Saeful Bahri, and Harun Masiku were charged with giving bribes of Rp 600 million to Wahyu Setiawan (KPU commissioner) in the 2019-2020 period.

This bribe is so that Wahyu seeks the KPU to approve the application of PAW for the South Sumatra Election Candidate (Sumsel) I on behalf of DPR members for the 2019-2024 period Riezky Aprilia to Harun Masiku.

Hasto was also charged with obstructing the investigation by ordering Harun, through the Aspiration House guard, Nur Hasan, to submerge Harun's cell phone into the water after the KPK OTT incident against Wahyu Setiawan.

Not only Harun Masiku's cellphone, Hasto is also said to have ordered his aide, Kusnadi, to drown his cell phone in anticipation of forced attempts by KPK investigators.

Hasto was charged with Article 21 and Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or Article 13 of Law (UU) Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 65 paragraph (1) and Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.