Allegedly Involved In DAK Extortion Case, Head Of NTB Education And Culture Office: I'm No Comment Deh

Head of Dikbud NTB Aidy Furqan (right) after undergoing examination at the Mataram Police Headquarters, NTB, Monday (13/1/2025). (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

NTB - Head of the Education and Culture Office (Kadis Dikbud) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province Aidy Furqan dismissed being involved in illegal levies (extortion) in procurement projects sourced from special allocation funds (DAK).

"I'm no comment because I didn't do that either," said Aidy Furqan after fulfilling the summons for investigators in the extortion case of the Head of SMK with the initials AM at the Mataram City Police Headquarters, Monday, January 13, was confiscated by Antara.

Regarding the information regarding the involvement of a state civil servant (ASN) at the NTB Education and Culture Office with the initials LS, which still has a family relationship with Aidy and there are allegations that LS is in charge of managing the project implementer and withdrawing fees from each implementation, Aidy admits that he does not know this.

"For families, we are Lombok people, families, Indonesians, as well as family. If it is called a close family, I will check first, because I am from North Lombok, Mr. Candra (LS) which person, it could be from distant families," he said.

Regarding the handling of corruption and embezzlement cases in the management of DAK funds that entered the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Aidy also admitted that he did not know about this.

"I can only read the news, if others don't know," he said.

Due to the corruption case related to the management of DAK funds, both those running at the Mataram Police and the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Aidy emphasized that his party would evaluate the mechanism for project work within the NTB Education and Culture Office.

"Actually, I also have a dizziness in this case. Of course, from the results of the evaluation, there will be a better work stage and mechanism," he said.

Aidy Furqan was present at the Mataram Police to fulfill the second summons from investigators to undergo examination as a witness.

Aidy was present at 08.45 WITA and ended the investigation at 14.00 WITA. Police investigators asked about 25 questions.

Head of the Mataram Police Corruption Unit, Police Inspector One I Komang Wilandra, said that investigators examined Aidy Furqan in his capacity as a budget user (PA).

"So, in general, the material for the examination of Mr. Kadis is related to the implementation mechanism, both self-managed and so on, because he is PA," said Komang.

The Mataram Police handling this extortion case began with a hand arrest of AM on December 11, 2024.

AM, who is now a suspect, was caught red-handed receiving IDR 50 million in cash in his position as Head of the Vocational School Division at the NTB Education and Culture Office.

The Mataram Police Corruption Crime Unit Team arrested AM in the SMK Head room at the NTB Education and Culture Office for a moment receiving cash in a brown package.

From the investigation, it was revealed that the cash was a fee requested by the implementation of the equipment procurement project at one of the Vocational Schools in Mataram City.

There was an alleged withdrawal of fees worth 5 to 10 percent of the project value occurred in every project implementation sourced from DAK. The fee is referred to as administrative money.