The Process Of The COVID-19 Social Assistance Vendor Contract That Led To Juliari's Bribery Was Investigated By The KPK

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators continue to deepen the alleged bribery case for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance for the Jabodetabek area that ensnared Juliari P. Batubara while serving as social minister.

One of them is by examining the Commitment Making Officer (PPK) of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemsos) Adi Wahyono who is also a suspect in this case.

Investigators question Adi Wahyono regarding the drafting of a social assistance distribution partner contract. Adi's examination to complete Juliari Batubara's investigation file.

"Investigators are digging up the knowledge concerned about the process of drafting and implementing work contracts with various partners who carry out social assistance projects for the Jabodetabek area at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri in his statement, Sunday, December 20.

In this case, Adi and Matheus Joko Santoso were appointed by Juliari P. Batubara as the Minister of Social Affairs as the Commitment Making Officer in the implementation of the COVID-19 social assistance project for the Jabodetabek area by direct appointment of partners. There are 272 procurement contracts with a total value of Rp. 5.9 trillion.

The KPK appointed the inactive Social Minister Juliari P. Batubara along with Adi Wahyono and Matheus Joko Santoso as the Ministry of Social Affairs Commitment Making Officer (PPK) and two private parties named Ardian IM and Harry Sidabuke as suspects in the case of suspected bribery for social assistance in the Jabodetabek area for handling Covid-19.

Juliari and two of his subordinates are suspected of receiving bribes worth around Rp. 17 billion from Ardian and Harry as partners of the Ministry of Social Affairs in procuring COVID-19 social assistance packages for the Jabodetabek area in 2020.

This case stems from the provision of social assistance for handling COVID-19 in the form of food packages at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020 with a value of around Rp.5.9 trillion with a total of 272 procurement contracts and implemented over two periods.

Juliari as the Minister of Social Affairs appointed Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi Wahyono as Commitment Making Officers in the implementation of the project by directly appointing partners. It is suspected that it was agreed that there was a fee for each work package that the partners had to pay to the Ministry of Social Affairs through Matheus.