Erick Thohir Has A Commitment To The AGO, That's Why He Doesn't Want To Report To The KPK Regarding The ATR 72-600 Procurement For Garuda

Illustration of Garuda Indonesia plane. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed the reason why he reported the alleged corruption in the procurement of the ATR 72-600 Garuda Indonesia aircraft to the Attorney General's Office (AGO), not the KPK.

Erick said, it did not mean that he did not cooperate with the KPK. Erick reported the case because he had a commitment with the AGO to clean up state-owned companies.

"We and the Prosecutor's Office have a joint commitment, which is a program to clean up SOEs. This does not mean that we do not involve the KPK or the police. We and the KPK have collaborated a lot on prevention, with the police there are also many things that we collaborate on," he said, quoted from his Instagram @erickthohir, Saturday, January 15.

On that occasion, Erick said that in explaining the alleged corruption case within Garuda Indonesia, it could not be based on accusations, but must be based on data and facts. According to him, this is no longer the time to accuse each other.

"If we solve corruption cases, it can't be based on accusations, but there must be data and facts. So that's what I brought to the Prosecutor's Office and was well received by the Attorney General directly, namely audit investigation data from BPKP," he said.

As previously reported, Erick Thohir visited the Attorney General's Office on January 11, where he reported allegations of corruption by Garuda Indonesia in the procurement of the ATR 72-600 aircraft to the Attorney General's Office. The report, in order to clean up the state-owned company.

"I think it's time for the elements in BUMN to be cleaned up and this is indeed our main goal to keep the BUMN healthy," he said at a press conference at the Indonesian Attorney General's Office, Tuesday, January 11.

Erick said that his party had submitted the investigative audit evidence to the Attorney General's Office for follow-up. Even so, Erick was reluctant to reveal how much the state lost for this action.

"We also submit evidence from the investigative audit. So it's not an accusation, because we are no longer in the era of accusing each other, but there must be facts given," he said.

Furthermore, Erick said he did not rule out indications of corruption in the procurement of other types of aircraft belonging to PT Garuda Indonesia, apart from the ATR 72-600.

"From the reports that have been investigated and completed, let alone get data from BPKP. Of course today the ATR 72-600 is being investigated. Is there any development of the procurement process for other aircraft? It is possible," he said.

Previously, the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia, ST Burhanuddin, had received reports of alleged corruption in the procurement of the Garuda Indonesia aircraft type ATR 72-600. Burhanuddin ensured that the report would be developed to the root of the problem. He also promised to finish it until Garuda is completely clean.

"If the development is certain, and God willing, it will not stop here. We will develop it until Garuda is really clean," he said.

Furthermore, Burhanuddin revealed that the alleged corruption occurred during the era of the ES leadership directors (allegedly Emirsyah Satar).

"For ATR 72-600 during the ES era and he is now in custody," he said.