Azis Syamsuddin's Behavior Is Like A Charity Box Thief, The Difference Is That The Deputy Speaker Of The DPR Is More Detrimental

Azis Syamsuddin (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) forcibly picked up Golkar Party politician, Azis Syamsuddin. Azis, who had previously been named a suspect, refused to come to the KPK on the pretext of self-isolation. Azis's behavior reminds us of the action of the charity box thief in Petukangan, South Jakarta who claimed to be ODP so that residents would not be judged.

Before finally being picked up by force at his residence, Azis was absent from his first scheduled examination as a suspect at the KPK today. Through a letter, Azis admitted that he was undergoing self-isolation after interacting with people who were declared exposed to COVID-19. “We summoned brother Azis to attend the KPK because the KPK investigators had to ask for information.

"You can't attend because the information is that you are in self-isolation because you admit to interacting with other parties who are positive for COVID-19. Of course we are analyzing reasons like this. So the team from the KPK met the person concerned, of course, not only the KPK team but the medical team to make sure the person concerned was positive. or reactive to COVID," said Acting Spokesperson for KPK Enforcement Ali Fikri in an interview with Kompas TV, Friday, September 24.

The KPK then checked Azis' condition and made sure he was non-reactive. Azis was then taken to the Red and White House. Arriving at the KPK, Azis was seen wearing a long-sleeved batik shirt and a mask. Azis made no statement. "From the results of the examination, it was later found that COVID was non-reactive ... Then they were brought to the KPK," Ali Fikri.

Charity box thief in Petukangan

Azis' behavior reminds us of the charity box thief at a mosque in the Petukangan area, South Jakarta in April 2020. The middle-aged man was almost completely judged by the residents before admitting to being an ODP (person under monitoring).

The term ODP is familiar to us when the emergence of COVID-19 in Indonesia. At that time, ODP was classified for people who may have contracted COVID-19 due to contact with positive people or having a history of traveling to countries that have been infected with COVID-10.

The man in Petukangan also refused to be taken to the police station, until then the police threatened to take him to the hospital to be quarantined if it was true that he was an ODP. Hearing that, the man admitted his lie and argued that the money he stole was not much.

"There is only Rp. 2,000 a few pieces. Less than Rp. 30,000," he said, as quoted by Kompas.com.

Chronology of the case of Azis Syamsuddin

Azis Syamsuddin at the KPK (Source: Special)

Azis' theft has a more destructive impact. Together with his fellow Golkar cadre, Aliza Guando, the two are suspected of giving bribes worth Rp. 3,099,887,000 and US$ 36,000 – around Rp. 513 million – related to a conspiracy to allegedly steal public money. According to the indictment of the public prosecutor (JPU), the bribe was given to Stepanus Robin Pattuju, a former KPK investigator.

Stepanus Robin is alleged to have been tampered with around Rp3.613 billion in money to take care of a case in Central Lampung. Still referring to the indictment, the case involves the names of Azis and Aliza. Apart from Stepanus Robin, the bribe money was also given to Maskur Husain, a lawyer. In total, the two received Rp3,099,887,000 and US$36 thousand or around Rp513 million.

According to the KPK prosecutor, Lie Putra Setiawan, in August 2020, Azis asked Stepanus Robin to discuss with Maskhur Husain about "whether (Maskur) is willing to take care of the case involving Azis Syamsuddin and Aliza Gunado related to the KPK investigation in Central Lampung," said Lie reading the letter Indictment at the Corruption Court, Jakarta, Monday, September 13.

After that, it was suspected that there was an agreement between Stepanus Robin and Maskhur. The agreement was accompanied by a condition of compensation of IDR 2 billion from each party, both Azis and Aliza. Then, the money amounting to Rp300 million was allegedly given as a sign that Azis agreed. With this, the total amount of bribes agreed to reach Rp. 4 billion.

According to Lie Putra, the Rp300 million down payment was divided. Stepanus Robin received Rp. 100 million. Meanwhile, Maskur got Rp. 200 million. The advance payment was sent via transfer to Azis Syamsuddin's account on August 3 and 5, 2020. On that 5th, Stepanus Robin was said to have received $100,000 in cash from Azis.

Stepanus Robin Pattuju at the KPK Supervisory Board session (Source: KPK Public Relations)

The money was handed over at Azis' official residence on Jalan Denpasar Raya 3/3, South Jakarta. Arriving at Azis' official residence, Agus Susanto escorted Stepanus Robin. Stepanus Robin even showed Agus the money he had received. Next, Stepanus Robin divided the money into Maskur with a value of 36 thousand US dollars. The money was given in front of the Central Jakarta District Court.

Stepanus Robin then exchanged the remaining US$64 thousand to a money changer using Agus's identity. From the exchange, Rp936 million was obtained. Of the total amount, Stepanus Robin then gave Rp. 300 million to Maskur. The gift this time was held at the Borneo Restaurant, Keramat Sentiong.

"From the end of August 2020 to March 2021, the defendant received several times from Azis Syamsuddin and Aliza Gunado with a total of 171,900 Singapore dollars."

Transaction after transaction continued afterward. The money cycle between Azis, Aliza, Stepanus Robin, and Maskur flows smoothly. In this case, Stepanus Robin and Maskur were charged with receiving Rp11.025 billion and US$36 thousand – around Rp513 million. With this, the total amount of money they received reached Rp. 11.5 billion for the management of five cases.

Detailing the source of the money, as much as Rp1.695 billion was given by M Syahrial, the inactive Tanjungbalai Mayor; Azis and Aliza gave Rp3,099,887,000 and 36 thousand US dollars; Rp507.39 million from Ajay Muhammad Priatna; and Usman Effendi and Rita Widyasari who gave Rp 525 million and Rp 5,197,800,000 respectively.

*Read other information about CORRUPTION or read other interesting articles from Wardhany Tsa Tsia and Yudhistira Mahabharata.

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