KPK Has Repeatedly Reminded Juliari Batubara About The Corruption Potential Of Bansos

Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara (Twitter / @ juliaribatubara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed new facts behind the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) for COVID-19 Jabodetabek which ensnared Social Minister (Mensos) Juliari Batubara. Long before this case happened, this anti-rasuah organization had actually warned Juliari Batubara.

Deputy Chairman of the KPK, Nurul Ghufron, said that his party had repeatedly visited the Ministry of Social Affairs to remind them not to misuse COVID-19 social assistance funds.

"We have reminded them back and forth," he told reporters, Sunday, December 6.

Not only that. Ghufron said, the KPK has also taken preventive steps as an effort to anticipate so that corruption does not occur at the Ministry of Social Affairs. But unfortunately, it turned out not to be cool.

"But it is considered friendship. The KPK has directly monitored the Ministry of Social Affairs, even lecturing several times," he said.

As previously reported, there were five suspects in the suspected case of bribery for the distribution of social assistance to COVID-19. They are Juliari, MJS and AW, as the commitment making officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs, named as suspects for receiving bribes. Then, the suspects AIM and HS as the bribes.

This case began with the procurement of basic food packages as social assistance for handling COVID-19 with a total of 272 contracts worth IDR 5.9 trillion which were implemented over two periods.

The KPK said that the fee for each Bansos package was agreed upon by MJS and AW of IDR 10,000 per food package, of a value of IDR 300 thousand per social assistance package.

Furthermore, by MJS and AW in May to November 2020, work contracts were made with several suppliers as partners, including AIM, HS and also PT RPI (Rajawali Parama Indonesia) which allegedly belonged to MJS.

Regarding the corruption of the COVID-19 social assistance OTT, the KPK then confiscated the money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags.

"Previously, AIM and HS had prepared money in one of the apartments in Jakarta and in Bandung, which was stored in 7 suitcases, 3 backpacks and a small envelope, which amounted to around Rp14.5 billion," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri at a press conference in the building. KPK, Sunday, December 6 in the morning.

From the COVID-19 social assistance corruption OTT, money was found in rupiah denominations and foreign currency. "Each is around Rp. 11.9 billion, around USD 171.085 (equivalent to Rp. 2.420 billion) and around SGD 23,000 (equivalent to Rp. 243 million)," said Firli.