Social Assistance Bribery Case, KPK Examined Juliari Batubara's Men And Private Parties

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigative team examined the commitment-making official (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso (MJS) and the private party Harry Sidabuke (HS) in a case of alleged corruption in the provision of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19 for the Greater Jakarta area.

Matheus's examination was carried out on Thursday, December 17th. In this examination, investigators asked for confirmation regarding the procurement of social assistance as a PPK in the COVID-19 social assistance program, especially in the Jabodetabek area.

"Meanwhile, Wednesday, December 16, HS (Harry Sidabuke) was also examined as a witness. Investigators dig up the knowledge concerned with the implementation of the social assistance project work package at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020 which is also being carried out by him," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri. in a written statement on Friday, 18 December.

Previously, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area including Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as the recipient of the bribe and AIM and HS as the giver of the bribe.

KPK Chairman Filri Bahuri said this case started when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi in implementing this project by directly appointing partners.

"And it is suspected that it was agreed to set a fee for each work package that partners must deposit to the Ministry of Social Affairs through MJS," said Firli.

There is also a fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package agreed by Matheus and Adi of IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia aka PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus.

"The appointment of PT RPI as one of the partners is suspected of being known by JPB and approved by AW," he said.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of IDR 12 billion is suspected. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of 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 and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.

"Each amounting to around Rp.11.9 billion, around 171,085 US dollars (equivalent to Rp2,420 billion) and around 23,000 Singapore dollars (equivalent to Rp243 million)," said Firli.