Pati Residents Demand KPK to Name Bupati Sudewo as a Suspect: Don't Blame It If Our Children and Grandchildren Are Smart at Corruption!

The United Farmers Community Alliance held an action in front of the KPK Red and White building/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

Aliansi Masyarakat Pati Bersatu kembali mendesak Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) segera menetapkan Bupati Pati Sudewo sebagai tersangka dugaan suap proyek pembangunan jalur kereta di Direktur Jenderal Perkeretaapian (DJKA) Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub).

This demand was conveyed when they carried out an action in front of the Red and White KPK building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta today, December 15. They want their area not to be led by regional heads who are suspected of corruption.

"We came to the KPK to ask for help so that this Pati, we are residents of this Pati, is given a regent who is suspected of corruption," said one of the orators through a speaker.

"Because the regent for us is a leader. Not only our leader but also the leader of our children, grandchildren. If we are given a leader who turns out to be a corruptor, then don't blame it if later our children and grandchildren are smart and become corrupt kabeh (all)," he continued.

"True!" said another protester.

This orator said that they had sacrificed a lot to voice the demand for the naming of the suspect Sudewo. In fact, they alluded to criminalization.

English:

For information, the two coordinators of Pati residents' representatives, namely Teguh Istiyanto and Supriyono alias Botok are currently in custody after being named suspects by the police. They were charged under Article 192 of the Criminal Code regarding road blockades during the action some time ago.

In addition, they also have to sacrifice time not to go to the rice fields.

"Therefore, nyuwun please, please, we are bringing this to the KPK in order to work together to convince, nek (if) the regent is not a corruptor, jelasno (explain). If he is involved, ndang (quickly) will be decided (his status, red)," said the orator.

"... We came to the rice fields, left the rice fields, the rice fields were eaten by rats just to talk about upholding justice."

Meanwhile, some time ago, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that his party was still investigating the flow of orders and money in the alleged bribery of the railway line project in DJKA. This statement was made when he was asked about the involvement of Pati Regent Sudewo in the case.

"Of course, in the strategy for handling the case, we first combed from several points, yes, parties, for example, parties who are technically involved in the procurement process, involved in the process of alleged conditioning," said Budi, quoted Saturday, December 13.

"Because this is from a number of points that are interrelated to condition vendors who will hold or carry out projects at these points, which we will later link," he continued.

In addition, investigators are still looking for the command flow that led to the bribery. "And of course also the flow of money. We will investigate to whoever the alleged flow of money from this project is flowing," said Budi.

The KPK has currently only detained two new suspects in the bribery case for handling the winner of the auction for the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) project in the Medan area on December 1. The detention was carried out after the development of the case, which began with a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) held in 2023.

The two suspects who were detained were Eddy Kurniawan Winarto as a private party or company owner and Muhlis Hanggani Capah as a state civil servant (ASN) at the Railway Safety Directorate of the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia or the commitment maker (PPK) at the Medan Railway Engineering Office in 2021-May 2024.

English:

English:

English:

As previously reported, the KPK had examined Pati Regent Sudewa alias Sudewo as a witness to the DJKA bribery case at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta on August 27.

Later, the acting deputy for enforcement Asep Guntur Rahayu said the former DPR member was suspected of playing in a number of projects.

However, investigators are still looking for further evidence regarding Sudewo's involvement. "Considering that the person concerned is in several cases, we are collecting evidence for all related cases," Asep told reporters quoted by Antara, Monday, September 8.

Asep said Sudewo was suspected of playing a role in the construction of a railway line on the Solo Balapan-Kadipiro railway line, the Tegal-Semarang line, the Cianjur-Bogor line; the East Java railway line; the Sumatra railway line; and the railway line in Sulawesi.

"Insyaallah in time it will reach the person concerned," he said at that time.