KPK Responds to Whoosh Investigation: Matters Relate to Land Acquisition

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that the investigation into alleged corruption related to the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train project, Whoosh, is still ongoing. The focus is reportedly on land acquisition in several areas along the project.

"Because this is still an investigation, the material is actually related to the land. So it's not a matter of the process, it's related to land acquisition," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Asep Guntur Rahayu, to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building in Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, on Monday, November 10.

"Because there are several components, what we are investigating is related to land acquisition," he continued.

However, Asep declined to specify which land was problematic.

"Whether it's at Halim, or elsewhere, or in Bandung, or somewhere in between, that's what we're handling," he emphasized.

Asep confirmed that his agency is seriously investigating the alleged corruption in the Whoosh project. Anyone found guilty, regardless of their background, will be prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.

"There are individuals involved, and the individuals involved are selling what should have belonged to the state back to the state. So, we're not questioning Whoosh, but based on this report, we're seeing that state assets were sold back to the state in the land acquisition process."

As previously reported, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating alleged corruption in the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, Whoosh. This process has reportedly been ongoing since the beginning of the year.

Whoosh serves the Jakarta-Bandung route, covering 142.3 kilometers with a travel time of approximately 30–45 minutes. It will operate from October 2023, after being inaugurated by the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). This project is a collaboration between the Indonesian and Chinese governments.

The project's value at that time was targeted at only US$5.13 billion, or approximately Rp82.08 trillion. However, this figure swelled by 1.2 billion US dollars to 7.27 billion US dollars or equivalent to IDR 115 trillion assuming a US dollar exchange rate of IDR 16 thousand.