Encourage Officials To Investigate Rp300 T Odd Transactions At The Ministry Of Finance, PPP: Worried That Someone Throws Stones Hiding Hands

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD and Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani press conference on odd transactions of Rp. 300 trillion at the Ministry of Finance. (Instagram smindrawati)

JAKARTA - Secretary of the PPP faction of the DPR Achmad Baidowi or Awiek responded to an unnatural transaction worth Rp. 300 trillion which is suspected of being a money laundering crime (TPPU) at the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu).

According to him, the information conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD needs to be followed up by law enforcement officials so that it is not just a mere statement. Moreover, Mahfud's Rp300 trillion odd transactions involved 467 employees within the Ministry of Finance. "I think as a professor and also the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mr. Mahfud will not risk his good name by spreading false news, it remains only now confirmed or clarified by the Ministry of Finance regarding it, if it becomes a legal issue, law enforcement officials please follow up," Awiek told reporters, Tuesday, March 14.

"What is the evidence, whether it is then an administrative problem that causes state losses or what it is like, it must be clear from now on," he continued. The legislator of PPP for the Madura electoral district, East Java, also highlighted Mahfud's recent remarks that transactions of Rp. 300 trillion were not corruption but money laundering. According to him, money laundering is also a violation of the law that must be followed up by the authorities.

"The problem is, where did the money come from? Indeed, there is no state loss, for example, I try to simulate the construction thinking of Mr. Mahfuz, about the money from bribery does not use state money? For example, to get around that there are customs issues and the like, it is agreed that there is gratification, then the money has the potential to be used for money laundering, what is the problem. Yes, for sure, the next one is also related to criminal allegations," Awiek explained. "We are worried that people 'throw stones and hide hands'," he added.

Therefore, the member of Commission VI of the DPR encouraged the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) to highlight the problems that occurred at the Ministry of Finance. Because according to Awiek, even though officials are supervised by the inspectorate who is subject to minister's orders, the ministry also needs to be highlighted by outside parties' supervision. "I think the findings at the Ministry of Finance have almost the same pattern as elsewhere. If supervision is still submitted to Inspector General or Itjen, there is still supervision, but remember then it is subject to the minister," said Awiek. "That's why I hope that actually like BPKP, the BPK is more functioning, the ministry is highlighted, right, it is more independent than the minister is supervised by the inspectorate, which is the bottom of the minister," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD emphasized that information regarding suspicious transactions at the Ministry of Finance amounted to Rp300 trillion, not a criminal act of corruption. But transactions that have a context of money laundering.

This was conveyed by Mahfud during a press conference with the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati at the Ministry of Finance, Jakarta, Saturday, March 11.

"What Mrs. Sri Mulyani explained is that it is true. But, actually, when announcing Rp. 300 trillion, it was talking about money laundering. Not corruption," said Mahfud.