Arsul Sani Calls OTT Basarnas Officials Direct Response Sentilan Luhut To KPK

Illustration. The search was carried out by KPK investigators. (ANTARA PHOTO-Risky Andrianto)

Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives Arsul Sani assessed that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to show that the action in the form of a hand arrest operation (OTT) was in the midst of a counter attitude, one of which came from Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

He said this was in response to the Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Marshal Henri Alfiandi, who was caught in the KPK OTT last night.

"Although there is a statement against Pak Luhut against the KPK's prosecution in the form of OTT. Now, the OTT of Basarnas personnel (July 25) shows that the KPK continues to carry out OTT," Arsul said in his statement, Wednesday, July 26.

Arsul assessed that it was appropriate for the practice of collutive and corrupt in various forms to be dealt with, including allegations of bribery in the procurement of goods at Basarnas.

The prosecution of corruption cases, he said, could be carried out with OTT or through an ordinary investigation, aka case building. Or, the mixture of these two methods, especially when the case is developed.

For this reason, Arsul reminded the KPK not to forget the prosecution of corruption cases through case building, other than through OTT as is currently being done.

"However, we must also remind the KPK not to forget the handling of corruption cases based on case building, especially large cases which have not yet been completed," he said.

Previously, the KPK revealed that 10 people were caught OTT in Jakarta and Bekasi on Tuesday afternoon, July 25. The silent operation is related to the investigation into alleged bribery in the procurement of equipment for the 2023 fiscal year at Basarnas.

"We updated the latest information that there were about 10 people who were already at the KPK's Red and White Building and in a request for information by the KPK team," said Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri at the ACLC KPK Building, South Jakarta, Wednesday, July 26.

Ali explained that in the OTT, investigators from the anti-corruption agency arrested several parties consisting of state officials and private parties.

As is known, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan again said that he was adamant about rejecting OTT to the public.

Luhut assessed that the KPK OTT did not deter the perpetrators of corruption. According to him, although the KPK has repeatedly carried out OTT, the corruption rate in Indonesia is still high.

"Sorry if I speak openly. Even the OTT did not make people lose their heads," Luhut said at the launch of the 2021-2022 Stranas Corruption Prevention Action in Jakarta, Tuesday, April 13, 2023.