Reconstruction Of Social Assistance Bribes, KPK Reveals Meeting Ihsan Yunus And Ministry Of Social Officials

Reconstruction of Bansos bribes (Photo: Wardhani Tsa Tsa / VOI)

JAKARTA - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators are carrying out a reconstruction of the alleged bribery for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) in the Greater Jakarta area. This activity was carried out at C1 KPK Building, Jalan HR Rasuna Said, South Jakarta since 12.10 WIB.

The plan is that in this activity, there are 15 scenes played by three suspects, namely the commitment maker (PPK) of the Ministry of Social Affairs Adi Wahyono, and Matheus Joko Santoso, as well as the private sector Harry Sidabuke.

In the first scene, a scene was made in the room of the Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos), Syafii Nasution, who allegedly happened in February 2020. In that scene, the former member of Commission VIII DPR from the PDI-P Faction Ihsan Yunus was shown by the stunt double to meet the Ministry of Social Affairs officials.

Apart from Ihsan, the meeting was also attended by Matheus Joko Santoso as the Ministry of Social Affairs Commitment Making Officer (PPK). Ihsan, who is currently a member of Commission II of the DPR, was seen chatting with Joko and M Syafii Nasution.

Until now, the case reconstruction process is still ongoing and has entered the fifth scene where Harry Sidabuke gives money to Matheus Joko Santoso in his room. This gift was made in May 2020 with a total of Rp. 100 million.

It is known, the name of the former Deputy Chairperson of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus is often associated with the alleged COVID-19 social assistance bribery case for the Jabodetabek area that ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

The KPK even summoned Ihsan Yunus for questioning on Wednesday, January. However, the legislator from PDI Perjuangan did not fulfill the examination on the grounds that he had not received a summons from the investigating team so that it would be rescheduled.

In addition, to investigate his involvement in this case, the KPK also searched the residence of Ihsan Yunus' parents in East Jakarta on Tuesday, January 12. From this search, investigators confiscated communication tools and several documents related to COVID-19 social assistance.

Next, investigators have twice examined businessman Muhammad Rakyan Ikram, who is said to be Ihsan Yunus' younger brother. During the examination last Friday, January 29, KPK investigators questioned Rakyan regarding the distribution of rations and quotas for the distribution of social assistance for COVID-19 because he was also working on the project.

Previously, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area including the non-active Social 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 began when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi to carry out this project by directly appointing partners. The KPK suspects that it was agreed that there was a fee from the work package that partners had to pay to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

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 alias PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus and whose appointment was known to Juliari.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of IDR 12 billion is suspected. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.