PT Wanatiara Tax Case, KPK Emphasizes Focus in Jakarta

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) responded to the opportunity to summon the North Maluku regional government in the investigation of the alleged bribery case involving PT Wanatiara Persada regarding tax examinations at the North Jakarta Sub-tax Office (KPP), the Directorate General of Taxes of the Ministry of Finance.

Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, said that investigators are currently focusing on corruption cases in Jakarta.

"Does it open up the opportunity to ask for information? Well, we are focusing on criminal acts related to tax issues. So, here, yes, the incident is here, in Jakarta," said Asep at the KPK Red and White Building, Sunday, January 11.

Asep admitted that the mining location owned by PT Wanatiara Persada was in North Maluku. However, according to him, the case handling center is in Jakarta because the company's headquarters are listed in the capital.

"The location is in North Maluku, that's right, it's for the area of operation. However, why is the KPP in Jakarta? Because the office is here, the headquarters," said Asep.

However, the KPK has not ruled out the possibility of examining other parties, including from the region, if investigators find other suspected cases of corruption related to the case.

"If other cases of corruption are found involving the parties here, both the DJP and PT WP, of course we will investigate," he said.

Previously, the KPK held the first hand-in-hand operation (OTT) in early January and arrested eight people. The operation is said to be related to alleged tax arrangements in the mining sector.

From the OTT, the KPK then named five people as suspects, namely the Head of the North Jakarta KPP Deputy Dwi Budi, the Head of the Supervisory and Consulting Section of the North Jakarta KPP Deputy Agus Syaifudin, the North Jakarta KPP Deputy Assessment Team Askob Bahtiar, tax consultant Abdul Kadim Sahbudin, and staff of PT Wanatiara Persada Edy Yulianto.

Edy Yulianto is suspected of being the party who gave a bribe of Rp. 4 billion to the North Jakarta Deputy KPP employee to reduce the obligation to pay the 2023 period of land and building taxes (PBB). The value of PBB, which was originally around Rp. 75 billion, was allegedly reduced to Rp. 15.7 billion.

In addition, the KPK also secured PS as the Human Resources Director of PT Wanatiara Persada. However, the person concerned was not named a suspect because he was considered to have insufficient evidence.