Following His Subordinates, HSU Regent Abdul Wahid Suspected Of Bribery Arrested By KPK

KPK chief Firli Bahuri in a press meeting handling the alleged corruption case of Hulu Sungai Utara Regent

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission has named the Regent of Hulu Sungai Utara, South Kalimantan, Abdul Wahid as a suspect in connection with allegations of bribery in the procurement of goods and services.

This determination was made after the KPK previously detained the Acting Head of Public Works Office of the North Hulu Sungai Regency (HSU) Maliki as a suspect after being entangled in a hand arrest operation (OTT) last September.

"With sufficient preliminary evidence found, the KPK further raises the status of this case to the investigation stage by announcing the suspect AW (Abdul Wahid), the Regent of Hulu Sungai Utara for the period 2017 to 2022," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri at a press conference, Thursday, 18 November.

After being named a suspect, Abdul was detained at the KPK Rutan Pomdam Jaya Guntur Branch for the next 20 days from November 18 to December 7.

In this case, Firli said Abdul was named a suspect because he received money from the Acting Head of the PUPRP Service, Maliki. The money was handed over according to his request for appointing Maliki.

"The money received by suspect AW was carried out at the MK's house around December 2018 which was handed over directly by the MK through suspect AW's aide," said Firli.

In addition, Abdul also received a commitment fee of 10 percent from the work project in the Water Resources Sector of the North Hulu Sungai PUPRP in 2021 with an amount of Rp. 500 million. Not only that, he also received money from other projects from 2019 to 2021.

"In 2019 (AW received, red) an amount of around Rp. 4.6 billion; in 2020 it was around Rp. 12 billion; and in 2021 it was around Rp. 1.8 billion," said Firli.

For his actions, Abdul was then charged with Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 11 and Article 12 B of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption Eradication Jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code Jo. Article 64 of the Criminal Code Jo. Article 65 of the Criminal Code.

Previously, there were three suspects in this case. Apart from Maliki, they are the Director of CV Hanamas, Marhaini and the Director of CV Kalpataru, Fachriadi as suspects.

During the silent operation, the KPK found Rp345 million in cash. The money is suspected to be a commitment fee of 15 percent for the project to be carried out by the two private parties.

The first project is the Rehabilitation of the DIR Kayakah Irrigation Network, Kayakah Village, with an estimated price of IDR 1.9 billion. While the second project is the Irrigation Network Rehabilitation of the Banjang DIR, Karias Dalam Village.