Ready To Conduct Analysis, KPK Needs Initial Data From Mahfud MD Regarding Alleged Mark Up Project

KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo. Wardhany Tsa Tsia

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is ready to analyze allegations of inflating the budget or mark-up of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project. However, they need initial data and asked the former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD to convey it.

This was conveyed by the KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo in response to Mahfud MD's confused attitude after being asked to report the alleged mark-up. According to him, this method allows his institution to move quickly to find corruption.

"That if Prof Mahfud has the data and information, please convey it to the KPK. We are very open," Budi told reporters, Tuesday, October 21.

"We are very open. Later we will study, we will analyze from the initial information and data which will later be submitted to the KPK," he continued.

Budi further emphasized that the anti-corruption commission is proactive with information from the public. This kind of process will usually be followed by collecting evidence and information or pulbaket.

"Including the second is proactive through case building, meaning that the KPK is also from information and initial data obtained from various sources, yes, it can be from PPATK, it can also be from BPK reports, various sources of information from the KPK which are then studied, analyzed," he said.

"D when it was found that there was an initial suspicion that it occurred with a criminal act of corruption, the KPK then carried out an in-depth investigation to investigate the alleged corruption crime."

Previously reported, Mahfud MD through his YouTube channel stated that there was a significant difference in the cost of building a high-speed train per kilometer. The calculation issued by the provider company in China is different from the Indonesian version.

"The alleged mark-up is like this. According to the Indonesian side, the cost per 1 km of theASH train is 52 million US dollars. But in China itself the calculation is 17 to 18 US dollars. It has tripled, right," Mahfud said in the video.

This allegation was conveyed by Mahfud related to the debt burden of theASH project which reached Rp4 trillion in 2025.

He said the debt burden occurred due to a change in the financing scheme from Japan's offer with a interest rate of 0.1 percent to China with an initial interest rate of 2 percent which then rose to 3.4 percent due to overrun.

Even so, the cost of buildingASH per kilometer of Rp780 billion is considered cheaper than the Jakarta MRT project which reaches Rp1.1 trillion per kilometer. However, Mahfud still supports the investigation into the alleged mark-up.

In addition, Mahfud also supports the attitude of the Minister of Finance, Purbaya, who does not want to bear the trustsh debt with the state budget. He asked the government to take a progressive policy so that the debt burden does not increase.