Former Ministry Of Finance Official Rifa Surya Detained By KPK In Connection With Allegations Of Bribery In The Management Of Balancing Funds

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detains former Ministry of Finance official, Rifa Surya/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained a former Ministry of Finance official, Rifa Surya. He is suspected of accepting bribes related to the management of balancing funds in the 2017 Revised State Budget and 2018 State Budget.

KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Karyoto said the former Head of Planning Section for Physical DAK II Sub-directorate of Physical DAK II and Head of Planning Section for Non-Physical DAK Sub-directorate of Non-Physical DAK, Directorate General of Fiscal Balance, Ministry of Finance was detained for the first 20 days. Rifa was placed in the KPK Detention Center at the KPK Red and White Building.

"For the purposes of the investigation, an attempt was made to forcefully detain hospital suspects by the investigative team for the first 20 days starting from August 12 to August 31, 2022," Karyoto said at a press conference at the KPK's Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, August 12.

Karyoto revealed that while in office Rifa had a close working relationship with Yaya Purnomo, another Ministry of Finance official. Yaya had previously been named a suspect in the same case.

The two then agreed and were ready to oversee the submission of DAK budget proposals and Regional Incentive Funds (DID) for Dumai City, Central Lampung Regency, North Labuhanbatu Regency, Tasikmalaya City, and Tabanan Regency which were submitted in 2017-2018.

However, there are a number of commitment fees that must be paid in the amount of 2 percent to 10 percent of the funds that have been successfully disbursed.

"During the budget monitoring process by the hospital and Yaya Purnomo, it is suspected that several meetings were held in Jakarta which were attended by the regents and mayors as well as represented by several trusted people from the regents and mayors who met directly with the hospital and Yaya Purnomo," explained Karyoto.

The KPK said that the money was handed over through several trusted people from the regent and mayor. From Central Lampung Regency, Rifa Surya and Yaya Purnomo are suspected of escorting DAK for the 2018 fiscal year and receiving around IDR 3.1 billion in money from Regent Mustafa.

"For the city of Dumai, the hospital together with Yaya Purnomo were suspected of escorting and receiving the 2017 FY DAK and receiving around IDR 200 million and 35,000 Singapore dollars from Zulkifli AS as the mayor of Dumai," said Karyoto.

Meanwhile, for North Labuhanbatu, Rifa and Yaya are suspected of escorting the 2018 DAK and receiving up to IDR 400 million and 290 thousand Singapore dollars from the Regent of North Labuhanbatu Khairuddin Syah.

Then, from Tasikmalaya, Rifa and Yaya escorted to get the DID and then received Rp430 million. "For Tabanan Regency, the hospital with Yaya Purnomo allegedly escorted the 2018 FY DID and received around Rp600 million and US$55,300 from Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti," he said.

"Currently, the investigative team is still investigating the alleged receipt of money by the hospital from several parties related to the management of DAK and other DID," Karyoto continued.

As a result of this action, Rifa was then suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code.