Checked By The AGO For 9 Hours, Johnny G Plate Claims To Be Asked His Duties As Minister Of Communication And Information

The Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G Plate is being questioned by AGO investigators as a witness to the alleged corruption of Bakti Kominfo on Tuesday, February 14. (Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Johnny G Plate admitted that investigators were only asked about his duties, functions and authorities as ministerial leader. He conveyed this confession after being questioned for nine hours as a witness to Bakti Kominfo's alleged corruption.

"I have provided information on the questions raised by the Attorney General's Office," Johnny told reporters at the AGO's Round Building, South Jakarta, Tuesday, February 14.

"I give my answer with responsibility. In particular, related to duties, functions, authority as Kominfo," he continued.

Johnny ensures that he respects the ongoing legal process. He is also ready to be summoned again if there is still information that investigators want to explore.

"As a form (of responsibility, ed) of citizens and as the head of the presidential assistant ministry in the field of Kominfo, I will continue to respect it and carry it out well," said the Secretary General of the NasDem Party.

Meanwhile, the Director of Jampidsus at the Attorney General's Office, Kuntadi, said Johnny had 51 questions. Apart from related to his duties and main functions as a minister, investigators also asked about the budget at the Ministry of Communication and Information.

"He has obligations and duties to evaluate and oversee the use of the budget in his work units," said Kuntadi.

Previously, the AGO also examined five witnesses other than Johnny. They are K as Director of PT Elabram System; DA as private party; Director of PT Menara Cahaya Telekomunikasi with the initials TBSK; Director of PT Telnusa Intracom, DB; and WL as Director of Sales of PT ZTE Indonesia.

To investigate cases of alleged corruption in the BTS 4G infrastructure provider and supporters of packages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 BAKTI Kominfo 50 witnesses and 23 witnesses who were prevented from leaving the country. This case is suspected to have cost the state finances more than IDR 1 trillion.

As for the suspects, there are five that have been determined by the AGO. They are Anang Achmad Latif (AAL) as the President Director of BAKTI, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Gapol Menak (GMS) as the President Director of PT Mora Telematika Indonesia, Yohan Suryanto (YS) as an expert on Human Development (HUDEV) at the University of Indonesia in 2020, Mukti Ali as a suspect from PT Huwaei Technology Investment and Irwan Hermawan as Commissioner of PT Solitchmedia Synergy.