Handsanitizer Budget Deviation Case Handling in West Sumatra Wait for BPK Expert Witnesses

JAKARTA - The West Sumatra Regional Police are still waiting for expert witnesses from the West Sumatra Representative Audit Agency (BPK) to uncover the alleged misappropriation of the COVID-19 budget in the Regional Budget 2020.

Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Regional Police, Kombes Satake Bayu, in Padang, Thursday, said that the only obstacles faced by investigators were only expert witnesses from the BPK.

"We have written to them asking for expert witnesses to complete the examination of this case but there has been no reply", he said.

He said that so far 14 people had been examined in connection with the alleged case of alleged misuse of the COVID-19 budget.

He said the 14 people started from the Chairman and Treasurer and staff of Regional Disaster Management Agency West Sumatra, members of the Regional House of Representatives West Sumatra, hand sanitizer procurement companies, and others.

"After everything is complete, we will title the case and determine whether it meets the elements of crime and determine the suspect", he said.

Previously, West Sumatra Representative Audit Agency found transactions made s in cash for goods and services worth IDR 49 billion in the context of handling the COVID-19 pandemic at the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency.

"According to the instructions of the Governor of West Sumatra No.2/INST-2018 it was stated that the Head of the Work Unit must make payments through a non-cash mechanism without a certain nominal rupiah limit", said the Head of West Sumatra Representative Audit Agency, Yusnadewi.

According to him, although it cannot be immediately declared that there is a state loss, what needs to be highlighted is how payments to third parties are made in cash so that it indicates abuse of authority.

"From IDR 49 The findings show that there were indications of inflated hand sanitizers amounting to IDR4.9 billion which must be returned to the regional treasury", he said.

The findings of the transactions that were paid in cash included procurement of 100 military hand sanitizers worth IDR 2,870,000,000, procurement of 500-milliliter hand sanitizers IDR 4,375,000,000.

Then Unexpected Expenditures for handling the COVID-19 pandemic had been transferred to the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency account were valued at IDR 161,711,976,900.

However, the results of checking the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency checking account showed all expenditure of funds originating from Unexpected Spending was made by check.

signed by the Chief Executive of Regional Disaster Management Agency and Treasurer of Regional Disaster Management Agency and everything was disbursed in cash without writing the recipient specifically.

In addition, it was found that cash payments to PT CBP for the procurement of PPE worth IDR 5,950,000,000, PT AMS for the procurement of a rapid test worth IDR 1,350,000,000.

Then it was discovered that the cash payments of 29 contracts to the six providers were IDR 30,155,400,000. Thus the Representative Audit Agency found a total cash payment to providers and people who could not be identified as providers of IDR 49,280,400,000.

The Regional House of Representatives of West Sumatra has also made a special committee on allegations of misappropriation of COVID-19 funds and recommended that it be processed according to existing laws.