Lawyer denies Bastian Lubis' involvement in the ASITA grant project

TANJUNG SELOR - The legal team of the Rector of Patria Artha University (UPA) South Sulawesi (South Sulawesi), Bastian Lubis, provided clarification regarding the news that linked his client with alleged corruption in the grant spending for the Tourism Information System (ASITA) Application in the North Kalimantan Provincial Tourism Office (Kaltara) in the 2021 Fiscal Year.

The coordinator of the legal team, Agus Amri, emphasized that the summons of Bastian Lubis by the Kaltara High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) was carried out in his capacity as a witness.

"The status of Mr. Bastian Lubis is as a witness, not a suspect or a party suspected of being involved in corruption," said Agus Amri, Wednesday (11/3/2026).

He explained that his client had fulfilled the call of the investigators and was present at the Kaltara Attorney General's Office on March 6, 2026, along with a team of lawyers as a form of cooperative attitude towards the legal process.

"However, the examination on that day could not be carried out due to technical constraints and limited office service time during the month of Ramadan," said Agus.

"This is not because our client is absent or uncooperative, but because of the difference in arrival time that had previously been coordinated with the prosecutor's office," he continued.

The lawyer explained that Bastian Lubis had no administrative, technical, or financial involvement in the grant activity for the creation of the Tourism Information System Application (ASITA) at the Kaltara Provincial Tourism Office.

"In addition, Patria Artha University has never been a project executor, consultant, or party that receives grant funds in the activity," he explained.

Regarding a number of meetings mentioned in the investigation process, the legal representative stated that the meeting was only informal and not related to cooperation or decision-making related to the program in question.

Agus Amri added that his party fully respects the legal process currently underway at the North Kalimantan High Prosecutor's Office and ensures that his client is ready to provide information when he is scheduled to undergo an examination.

"We also appeal to the media to prioritize the principles of balance, accuracy, and the presumption of innocence in reporting," he concluded.