KPK Names Juliari Batubara As A Corruption Suspect For COVID-19 Social Assistance Funds In Today's Memory, December 6, 2020

Juliari Batubara, who served as Minister of Social Affairs in the 2019-2020 era. (Between)

JAKARTA Memories today, three years ago, December 6, 2020, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Juliari Peter Batubara as a suspect in a corruption case. The determination was perpetuated because Juliari was involved in the alleged bribery case for social assistance handling COVID-19.

The Indonesian side then condemned Juliari. He is considered not to know himself in the midst of the condition of the Indonesian people living in chaos due to COVID-19. Previously, the virus from Wuhan caused a stir throughout Indonesia.

The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic brings a narrative of fear in Indonesia. Instead of only bringing the COVID-19 narrative as a deadly disease, the virus was actually able to kill other things - from the business sector to tourism. All of this was proven by indications of COVID-19 entering Indonesia in early March 2020.

The indications come from the emergence of the first, second, and third victims of the pandemic. However, many experts say that the pandemic has entered Indonesia much earlier. Sooner or later entering COVID-19 still brings disaster.

The Indonesian government is confused. The owner of power is confused about preventing the pandemic. There are efforts, but they often fail and even make the death toll continue to rise. The number of COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia is increasing sharply.

Attitudes were taken. Prevention steps are prepared. Keep your distance as a mainstay. This condition forced many offices to arrange employees for work from home. Everything boils down to the desire for the pandemic to end. Even though many of them were laid off due to COVID-19.

The government does not want to let go of responsibility. The breakthrough relieves the suffering of the people with social assistance is carried out. This effort is so that the Indonesian people are enthusiastic about life. even though the breakthrough was unable to reduce the unemployment storm.

The layoffs wave also occurred in Central Java and East Java. The Central Java Provincial Government, as of Monday, April 6, 2020, noted that 191 companies had fired at least 24 thousand workers. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa revealed that as many as 151 companies in his area had laid off and fired 18 thousand workers due to this pagebluk. In detail, 16,089 were laid off and 1,923 were laid off.

In the capital city, the numbers are more fantastic. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Office noted that around 132,000 workers had been laid off and 30 thousand others were dismissed. "They came from 18,045 companies." wrote a Tempo Magazine report entitled Explosion of Layoffs in Front of Eyes (2020).

The distribution of social assistance did not go smoothly. The problem is that the distribution of social assistance is not only on target, the estuary of the problem lies from a greedy official. The social assistance was widely corrupted, even in the same class as the Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari Batubara.

The KPK also moved quickly to respond to Juliari in the Hand Catch Operation (OTT) with a total value of Rp. 14.5 billion. He was then named a suspect on December 6, 2020. Juliari is suspected of being involved in the bribery of COVID-19 social assistance funds. All Indonesians are busy criticizing Juliari.

The figure of the minister is also considered unconventional. Selling is heartless for trying to corrupt social assistance in the midst of the life conditions of all Indonesian people who are in disarray. Then, Juliari was sentenced to 12 years in prison for being found guilty a few months later.

"KPK has named 5 (five) suspects, as recipients of JPB (Juliari P. Batubara), MJS, AW. As providers of AIM, HS," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri as quoted by the CNN Indonesia website, December 6, 2020.