The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Ensures That Johanis Tanak-Plh Chat, Director General Of Mineral And Coal, Is The Result Of Engineering

Deputy Chairperson Of The KPK Johanis Tanak Photo: BPMI Setpres/Lukas

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confirmed that the conversation between its deputy chairman, Johanis Tanak and the Acting Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Idris Froyoto Sihite was engineered. There are parties who want to form public opinion.

This was conveyed by the Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri in response to Johanis Tanak and Idris' conversation circulating on social media. He said, there was a fabrication that was made as if the two of them were talking when Johanis had served as Deputy Chair of the KPK.

"We are currently also receiving information that the chat circulating has been engineered by an irresponsible party so that it seems as if it happened when the KPK leadership selection was selected," Ali told reporters, Tuesday, April 18.

Even so, the KPK still invited the KPK Council to follow up on the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) report regarding Johanis-Idris' conversation. The investigation into the alleged violation will be professional.

"We fully submit the follow-up to the reports and facts to the KPK Council. We are sure that the KPK Council will be professional in conducting its examination and assessment," he said.

As previously reported, the photo containing a conversation between Johanis Tanak and Plh, Director General of Mineral and Coal, Idris Sihete, was in the spotlight after being uploaded to an anonymous Twitter account, @dimdim0783. There are several screenshots, one of which is discussing work and there is the phrase 'behind the screen'.

Not only that, this account also revealed that there was a discussion about the Mining Business License (IUP). Responding to this, Johanis Tanak said the conversation took place before he was appointed as a leader.

He admitted that he was already friends with Idris when he was still together at the Prosecutor's Office. Johanis also admitted that he did not know that his interlocutor had become the Acting Director General of Mineral and Coal because previously he served as Head of Legal Bureau at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

"I contacted him because I was just before retirement, how many months left for me to retire. If I continue to retire, what should I do, so how can there be new activities," said Tanak when contacted by VOI, Wednesday, April 12 evening.

Tanak also explained the intention of playing behind the scenes as stated in the message circulating. It has nothing to do with the KPK.

"That I have no other intention behind the scenes because I am active at the prosecutor's office in a few months and retire, so I can have activities when I retire,"

"That's why I said, who knows Pak Idris has a job that I can do. I will leave it to my friends. I will help correct the agreement related to business law. The concept of a private company's agreement or advice," said Tanak.

As for the conversation that discussed the IUP, Johanis suspected that engineering had occurred. He felt he had never been in touch with Idris on February 24.

Even if there is a discussion regarding the IUP, he said it is not related to the ongoing case at the KPK. "I swear, I didn't know that he was already the Acting Director General whom I knew was the Head of the Legal Bureau of Energy and Mineral Resources," he said.

"Even if there was a chat with me with him in February, at that time there was no investigation order against him (Idris Sisite, ed). If there was an investigation against him, which way could be that stupid for me to chat," concluded Johanis.