Bribery Of PEN Funds, KPK Examines Muhammad Dani Driver From The Former Director General Of Regional Finance At The Ministry Of Home Affairs

Illustration-KPK Building (Dok Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has examined two witnesses in an alleged bribery request for a loan for the Regional National Economic Recovery (PEN) fund.

One of the witnesses who will be examined is Muhammad Dani S. who is the driver of the former Director General of Regional Finance at the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri), Mochamad Ardian Noervianto.

"Today, the witness is examining a corruption case related to the application for a loan from the Regional National Export Development Fund," said Acting Spokesperson for the KPK for Enforcement, Ali Fikri, to reporters, Monday, February 14.

Apart from Dani, investigators also examined a private employee named Yoyo Sumarjo. Both of them were examined as witnesses to complete the files owned by Mochamad Ardian Noervianto.

The material for the examination of the two is not yet known. However, the witnesses who were summoned by the anti-corruption commission investigators are suspected of having knowledge of the crime being investigated.

As previously reported, Ardian was named along with two other suspects in this case. They are the inactive East Kolaka Regent Andi Merya Nur and the Head of the Muna Laode Regency Environmental Service M. Syukur Akbar.

This case began after Ardian as the Director General of Regional Financial Development at the Ministry of Home Affairs asked for three percent compensation for guarding and supporting the regional PEN fund loan proposed by Andi Merya.

With that position, Ardian has the duty and authority to carry out one form of government investment, namely the loan of PEN funds from the central government to local governments. This loan is provided through PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur according to regional needs.

Seeing this condition, Andi Merya as the Regent of East Kolaka contacted Laode M Syukur for assistance in obtaining a PEN fund loan for the region he leads. Then in May 2021, Andi finally met with Ardian and asked for a loan of IDR 350 billion.

Furthermore, it was agreed to provide compensation in the form of money in the amount of three percent in stages from the loan application. Andi then fulfilled this agreement by sending Rp2 billion to Laode M Syukur's bank account. This money is just the beginning.

Of the money, then there was a distribution with details Ardian received 131 thousand Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp. 1.5 billion and Laode M Syukur got a share of Rp. 500 million. This transaction was carried out at Ardian's private house in Jakarta.