KPK Explores IDR 53.7 Billion Account For Alleged Extortion Of Ministry Of Manpower's Foreign Workers Permit

Illustration of corruption (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating the currency collector's account for extorting permits for foreign workers (TKA) at the Ministry of Manpower. The search was carried out by examining Muhammad Fachruddin Azhari, who is a private employee on Tuesday, August 19.

"Against the witness, brother MFA, investigators are investigating the holding account used by the suspect to collect money from foreign workers," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters in a written statement quoted on Wednesday, August 20.

As for the acting (Plt) Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, said he would investigate the findings of Rp13.9 billion in money from the pocket of one of the suspects, Putri Citra Wahyoe as staff of the Directorate for Controlling the Use of Foreign Workers (PPTKA).

"Ideally, the boss who received the most. This is why he (PCW, ed). Well, this is our provisional assumption that he is indeed the collector," Asep told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Thursday night, July 24.

"The collectors are temporarily (PCW) but we are currently investigating this," he continued.

Asep will also explore where the money will go if Putri is really a collector. "In fact, judging from her position, this is not the top one here. The top manager," said Asep, who also serves as Director of KPK Investigations.

The KPK has detained eight suspects suspected of extorting foreign labor licenses (TKA) at the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) for the 2019-2024 period.

Two of them were Suhartono and Haryanto who had served as Director General of Manpower Placement and Expansion of Job Opportunities (Binapenta and PKK) of the Ministry of Manpower. They are suspected of having participated in the flow of extortion money from foreign workers whose value reached Rp53.7 billion.

Meanwhile, the other suspect is Wisnu Pramono as Director of PPTKA of the Ministry of Manpower; Devi Anggraeni as Coordinator of the PPTKA Feasibility Test for the period 2020-July 2024 then became Director of PPTKA for the period 2024-2025; Gatot Widiartono as Coordinator of Analysis and Control of Foreign Workers The Directorate of Control of the Use of Foreign Workers of the Ministry of Manpower; and Putri Citra Wahyoe, Jamal Shodiqin, and Alfa Eshad who are staff at the Directorate General of Binapenta and PPK.

The following are the details of the receipt of extortion money carried out by the suspects:

1. Suhartono received IDR 460 million; 2. Haryanto received IDR 18 billion;3. Wisnu Pramono received IDR 580 million; 4. Devi Anggraeni received IDR 2.3 billion; 5. Gatot Widiarto received IDR 6.3 billion; 6. Putri Citra Wahyo received IDR 13.9 billion; 7. Alfa Eshad received IDR 1.8 billion; and 8. Jamal Shodiqin received IDR 1.1 billion.

Then there was money distributed to almost all employees at the PPTAK Directorate and referred to as two-weekly money. The nominal is said to reach Rp. 8.94 billion.