Members Of The Ministry Of Social Affairs' Social Assistance Procurement Team Called By The KPK, Investigators Examine The Problem Of Vendor Selection

KPK (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) examined three witnesses regarding the alleged bribery for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) in the Jabodetabek area that dragged former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

Acting KPK spokesman for prosecution Ali Fikri said that one of the witnesses was questioned by the investigators regarding the selection of the aid distribution vendor.

"Robin Saputra, Member of the Team for Procurement of Goods or Services for Social Assistance for Food and Beverages in the context of handling Covid-19, explored his information regarding the selection of vendors who will distribute the Social Assistance Package of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Jabodetabek in 2020," Ali told reporters, Wednesday, December 23.

In addition, he explained that the KPK also summoned two private parties, namely Indah Budi Safitri and Finance Director of PT Mandala Hamonangan Sude. Both of them were explored related to the procurement process to the technicality of payment after distributing social assistance.

"The witness was investigated regarding the information related to the procurement process to participate in tenders and technical payments for the distribution of social assistance work that has been distributed," he said.

The information given by the three witnesses, said Ali, had already been recorded in the witness examination report (BAP).

It is known that the KPK has named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) packages for food packages for COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area including the non-active 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.

As for the fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package that Matheus and Adi agreed to, it was 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 of them 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.