KPK Ensures Helping Britain Investigate Alleged Corruption In Selling Bombardier Aircraft With Garuda

KPK / VOI Building

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will assist the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) or British anti-corruption agency to investigate suspected bribery related to the contract for the sale of aircraft between Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier and PT Garuda Indonesia.

Moreover, so far the KPK has collaborated with anti-graft agencies in various countries, such as the UK SFO and the Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in investigating the bribery case for the procurement of aircraft and aircraft engines at PT Garuda Indonesia for the 2004-2015 period, which then ensnared names like the former. The president director of this state-owned company, namely Emirsyah Satar, to the founder of PT Mugi Rekso Abadi (MRA) as well as the Beneficial Owner of Connaught International Pte Ltd Soetikno Soedarjo.

"Of course this cooperation will continue to be carried out. The KPK will also assist the SFO which is currently investigating the Garuda case," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri to reporters, Monday, November 9.

Ali explained, in handling cases of transnational corruption, the KPK already has an international cooperation framework both as an agent to agent and through the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) agreement.

"One of them was with the SFO in the form of exchanging data and information, especially when the KPK was handling a bribery case involving the main director of Garuda Indonesia and his friends," he said.

"Since the beginning of handling the alleged bribery case related to the procurement of aircraft engines for PT Garuda Indonesia, the KPK has collaborated with law enforcement authorities in several related countries, including the British SFO and Singapore CPIB," he added.

Previously, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir supported the investigation of a corruption case involving Garuda Indonesia and international aircraft manufacturer Bombardier after the British Serious Fraud Office announced that it would begin an investigation into a case involving the former President Director of PT Garuda Indonesia 2005-2014 Emirsyah Satar.

"We at the Ministry of BUMN are very supportive of the continuation of legal issues at Garuda because this is part of good corporate governance and transparency that has been carried out since our inception and is in accordance with the BUMN transformation program," said Erick Thohir in a statement received on Friday, November 6.

Erick Thohir said that his party would continue to coordinate with KPK law enforcement officials, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and the Attorney General's Office in handling the Garuda case.

"The Ministry of Law and Human Rights assisted us in making contract revisions through mutual legal assistance," he said.

The same thing was conveyed by the state-owned airline. President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfaniaputra, said that his party fully supports the law enforcement of the alleged bribery which is currently being investigated and is suspected of involving the former President Director of PT Garuda Indonesia 2005-2014 Emirsyah Satar.

"Garuda Indonesia will also actively coordinate with the authorities to ensure the company's full support for law enforcement efforts in the case," he said in a written statement received by VOI.

Irfan said Garuda Indonesia's support for law enforcement efforts is in line with the mandate given by the government to him to continue to strengthen the implementation of good corporate governance in all company business activities.

"We hope that through our ongoing commitment and active role in supporting these law enforcement efforts, Garuda Indonesia can consistently maintain a clean and transparent business environment in a sustainable manner in line with the vision of BUMN transformation," he explained.