Social Assistance Bribery, KPK Checks The Director General Of The Ministry Of Social Affairs

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators summoned the Director General of Social Protection and Security at the Ministry of Social Affairs (Dirjen Linjamsos Kemensos) Pepen Nazaruddin, Wednesday, January 13.

Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Affairs Ali Fikri said Pepen would be examined as a witness in the alleged bribery case for the distribution of COVID-19 social assistance to Jabodetabek.

"The person concerned will be questioned as a witness for the suspect AIM," Ali told reporters, Wednesday, January 13.

Apart from Pepen, the KPK also investigated several other witnesses. He is the boss of the social assistance vendor, the President Director of PT. Famindo Meta Komunika, Ubayt Kurniawan, and private Yogasmara Agustri. "They were also summoned as witnesses," he said.

Meanwhile, Pepen had previously been questioned by the KPK. He was previously questioned as a witness for the suspected former Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

In this case the KPK named a number of suspects, including former Social Affairs 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.

This case started with the provision of social assistance in the form of basic food packages within the Ministry of Social Affairs worth Rp. 5.9 trillion with a total of 272 contracts implemented in two periods.

Then, this PDIP politician appointed Matheus and Adi as PPK. In project implementation, both of them did so by direct appointment of partners. 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.

In this case, the KPK then suspected that Juliari received a fee of IDR 8.2 billion for the implementation of the first period of social assistance package. Meanwhile, in the second implementation, he allegedly received a fee of Rp.8.8 billion which was used for his personal interests.