Witness Protest, Azis Syamsuddin: By Allah, By Rasulullah And I Swear In My Big Family Name, I Don't Have A Little Sister

Former Deputy Speaker of the DPR from the Golkar Party faction, Azis Syamsuddin, undergoes a trial for examining witnesses at the Corruption Crime Court (Tipikor) Jakarta, Monday (3/1/2022). (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia)

JAKARTA - The former Deputy Speaker of the DPR from the Golkar Party faction, Azis Syamsuddin, denied receiving the money to administer the Central Lampung Regency Special Allocation Fund (DAK) from the Revised State Budget for the 2017 Fiscal Year.

"I have never received anything presented by witness Aan, both from Aliza in the amount of Rp1,135 billion plus Rp950 million and from brother Edi Sujarwo Rp200 million, Rp200 million, and Rp100 million. I have never received and it has never been consulted with me," said Azis Syamsuddin at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor), as reported by Antara, Monday, January 3.

Azis gave a response to the testimony of the former Head of Sie Department of Highways, Central Lampung, Aan Riyanto. The KPK Public Prosecutor (JPU) presented four witnesses in the trial, in addition to Aan, the former Head of the Lamteng Highways Office Taufik Rahman, a consultant in Lamteng named Darius Hartawan, and Aliza Gunado who were said to be Azis Syamsuddin's confidants.

"Secondly, I have never received anything and any discussion from Aliza or Edi Sujarwo regarding the management of this DAK, because I know for sure and know exactly based on the Board's disciplinary mechanism, MD3 Law Number 17 of 2014 the DPR's position as the head of the budget agency. does not have the authority to determine the amount," said Azis.

Azis also said that he had never ordered Aliza Gunado or Edi Sujarwo regarding the Lamteng DAK.

"And never ordered Taufik to change or make a proposal, nor to Aan Riyanto and Darius nor Mustafa," added Azis.

Furthermore, Azis denied having a younger brother named Vio who was said to be the owner of Vioz Kitchen. According to Taufik Rahman, based on Edi Sujarwo's statement, Edi Sujarwo handed over Rp2.085 billion as a "fee" for the Lamteng DAK management to Vio at Vioz Kitchen.

"I declare for the sake of Allah, for the sake of the Messenger of Allah and I swear on the name of my extended family that I have never had a brother or sister, either biological or adopted because I am the youngest of five children and I have never stated that Edi Sujarwo or Aliza Gunado were on staff or people I trust," said Azis.

Regarding the letter signed by Edi Sujarwo, Azis considered the letter illegal.

"The letter in the evidence submitted by the prosecutor that it is evidence regarding the letter signed by brother Sujarwo I have never been consulted and never knew about and the letter is an illegal letter in my opinion. I declare that I can be held accountable for the things that I have conveyed," Azis asserted.

In the trial, the person who was mentioned as a confidant of Azis Syamsuddin, namely Aliza Gunado also denied being an intermediary for the Central Lampung DAK management from the Revised State Budget for the 2017 fiscal year. He even claimed not to know people from the Lamteng district government, namely Taufik Rahman, Aan Riyanto, and Darius Hartawan.

"You said that you were introduced to Aliza, is this really Aliza?" asked member judge Fahzal Hendri.

"Yes, that's right, you know sir," said Darius who was sitting beside Aliza.

"Try to hold Aliza the mic, do you know this?" asked judge Fahzal.

"No, your highness," said Aliza.

Based on Aliza's statement, the Chairperson of the Panel of Judges invited the KPK prosecutor to follow up on these objections.

"The public prosecutor, please respond to the attitude of the witness named Aliza Gunado. We fully submit it because 3 witnesses said that they knew and had known a person named Aliza but he said he never knew and never knew these 3 people, we fully submit it to the prosecutor for follow-up against this witness," said Chief Justice Muhammad Damis.