Crying in the DPR, Proverbs Fear Young People Fear Working with the Government

The defendant in the Amsal Sitepu village video project case with Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives Hinca Panjaitan during an online meeting with Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives. (ANTARA/HO-DPR)

JAKARTA - Videographer from North Sumatra, Amsal Sitepu attended the Public Hearing (RDPU) held by Commission III of the DPR regarding allegations of alleged corruption in the activities of making village profile videos in Karo Regency.

While crying, Amsal, who is currently a defendant in the case, admitted that he was worried that later young Indonesians, especially those working in the creative economy sector, would be afraid to work with the government.

"Until now, I am very confused about this condition. And in the trial, in the LHP, it was found that the markup was found because there were items that were zeroed by the auditor and confirmed by the JPU in his demand letter," said Amsal Sitepu at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, March 30.

Amsal refuted the prosecutor's allegations that he had made a markup that had harmed the state's coffers. He emphasized that he had no intention of committing a criminal act of corruption. As for all video production work including concepts, ideas, editing, cutting, dubbing, and microphone use are part of the process of creating a work, not a markup.

"There is an idea, the idea is in the proposal Rp2 million, editing Rp1 million, cutting Rp1 million, dubbing Rp1 million, clip on or microphone Rp900 thousand, a total of Rp5.9 million, all of which are considered zero by the auditor or JPU. That's the short story of making this profile video," he explained.

Amsal revealed that he came to the DPR to ask for justice and also represent young people who are worried about their fate as creative workers in Indonesia.

"I am only seeking justice today, I am a creative economy worker. What I am afraid of, if this happens, we are young people, Indonesian creative economy workers will be afraid to work with the government," he said.

"I'm just looking for justice, sir. I'm just a creative economy worker, sir, I don't have authority in the budget, sir, I just sell. If it's really expensive, why not just reject it? Or if it's not right, why should it be paid? I don't need to be imprisoned, because we did this work in 2020 during the pandemic just to survive," he continued.

Proverbs said that as a resident of North Sumatra, he was very fond of Karo Land and even often promoted Karo Regency with content that raised local wisdom. "I love Karo land very much, sir. Even with this incident, I will still love Karo land," he said.

Amsal admitted that in the legal process he was undergoing, he had been intimidated by the prosecutor directly by giving him a box of chocolate brownies. "With a message, talking directly to me in this prison, just follow the script. Don't make a fuss, close those contents," he said.

"I said no, the leadership. Enough, no more young people are criminalized in Indonesia. Let's not criminalize other proverbs. Let me be the only creative economic worker who is criminalized and intimidated. Let me be the last leader," he continued.

"This is the voice of all of us young people who dare to keep speaking despite the pressure. I say no, I will keep fighting. Even though I know, many people say you will be buried, if you fight you will be buried. But I say I'm not afraid, I'm not wrong," concluded Amsal Sitepu.

For information, Amsal Christy Sitepu is charged with 2 years in prison in the case of alleged corruption in the village profile video making project in Karo Regency. The Public Prosecutor also demanded a fine of Rp. 50 million subsider three months in prison and a replacement of Rp. 202,161,980.