KPK Investigate Allegations Of Social Assistance Corruption Again, This Time Regarding Rice Transportation

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is again investigating allegations of corruption at the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos). An investigation warrant (sprindik) has been issued and the case is related to the handling of social assistance (bansos).

"KPK has issued a new sprindik regarding the transportation of social assistance at the Ministry of Social Affairs," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters in a written statement, Wednesday, August 13.

Budi said the investigation was carried out since this month. This case is a development of allegations of corruption that have been handled previously and there are parties who will be held accountable for the law.

"Procurement of the distribution of rice social assistance for 2020. In the investigation, there are already parties who have been named as suspects," he said.

As for investigating allegations of corruption in the transportation of rice social assistance, investigators began to summon witnesses. A total of five people were questioned at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta today, August 13.

The five people are Herry Tho as Operational Director of PT Dosni Roha Logistics in 2021-2024; Kanisius Jerry Tengker who is the President Director of PT Dosni Roha Logistik in 2018-2022; Ibnu Solihin and Fathin Chamama who are civil servants (PNS) of the Ministry of Social Affairs; and Gary Judianto Tanoesoedibjo as Commissioner of PT DOS-NI-ROHA (PT DNR) from 2018-present and Director of Business Development of PT Storesend Elogistics.

Budi has not yet detailed the matter of the examination. He only said that the five would be questioned regarding the alleged corruption whose sprindik had just been published.

"The KPK has scheduled an examination of witnesses suspected of corruption related to the transportation of social assistance at the Ministry of Social Affairs," he explained.

The KPK was previously investigating allegations of corruption in the procurement of presidential social assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic which was distributed in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) in 2020. There are already suspects named, namely Ivo Wongkaren who is the President Director of Mitra Energi Persada.

The suspect's actions in this case, called the anti-corruption commission, caused the state to lose up to Rp250 billion due to a reduction in quality. This number can still increase because the calculation is still being carried out.

The procurement that was corrupted was said to have reached 6 million packages of anti-corruption commission. This figure is divided into three stages, namely, stages three, five, and six, the other reaching two million packages.

The corrupted social assistance was distributed by the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in a goodiebag with the Presidential Palace logo. In it there are rice, biscuits, cooking oil to other basic necessities.