When Investigating Jiwasraya Corruption, Erick Thohir Openly Asks For Jokowi's Protection: This Case Is Not Merely Imprisoning Related Parties

Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of SOEs)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir has asked President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for protection or backing assistance in investigating corruption cases at PT Asuransi Jiwasraya or Jiwasraya.

Furthermore, Erick also said that when he recently served as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, he saw that the governance of several SOEs was problematic and indicated corruption, one of which was Jiwasraya. He also estimates that the smelled case will become a mega corruption scandal in BUMN.

"This incident (the Jiwasraya corruption case) has been around for a long time from 2006-2013, but because this may be a big scandal involving many powerful people and there must be legal protection. It's impossible for us to be strong," he said during the Atma Jaya Unika Faculty Public Lecture, Wednesday, January 26.

"The president at that time said to execute. At that time I was summoned with the Attorney General," he continued.

After receiving the green light, Erick then reported the Jiwasraya corruption case to the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) by bringing internal evidence, audit investigations from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) to reports from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

The former Inter Milan boss emphasized that the report made by the Ministry of SOEs was not merely to imprison the parties involved, more than that this step was part of the restructuring of Jiwasraya.

"In the restructuring of Jiwasraya, there needs to be a legal protection so that when it is brought to court or decided, it has power," he said.

Erick admits that there are still many shortcomings in the restructuring process of Jiwasraya. Because there are still customers who are hurt by the fraud. However, on the other hand, this restructuring provides legal clarity for customers who feel cheated in buying Jiwasraya Insurance products.

"But what distinguishes us from other corruption cases is that there is a solution for those who are disadvantaged, not pending cases for which there is no clarity," he said.