Waiting For The KPK To Determine New Suspects In The Social Assistance Case At The Ministry Of Social Affairs

Gedung KPK (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has the opportunity to conduct a new investigation into the case of Social Assistance (bansos) that ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

The Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission, Karyoto, announced the possibility of opening a new investigation on Friday, February 5. He said the findings that led to new suspects would be returned to the investigation stage.

"I have ordered the team of investigators (investigators, ed) who are now handling the bribery, all existing investigation reports leading to the new suspect will be returned to the investigation first to carry out an investigation into the procurement of goods and services and then review them one by one", he said. Karyoto in a press conference broadcast on the KPK RI YouTube account.

This is to ensure the involvement of other parties before the KPK investigates the case, including re-examining the initial process of social assistance procurement, who carried it out, and also about the fairness of the price.

"So we are in order of how to get it, who will implement it, how much is the price, and others", he said.

"Because if it is complicated, complicated but there is no state loss, bribery, or not being able to prove the bribe, then we cannot determine new suspects", added Karyoto.

He said, for the development of this case, the KPK will explore information from the process of investigating this case to the reconstruction which will be held on Monday, February 1.

The KPK will investigate several things further. "We will start again with the procurement of goods and services, including later the fairness of the price, how the packaging is, and how the kickback process is", he said.

In early February, the KPK carried out reconstruction related to the COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) bribery case in the Jabodetabek area, which gave rise to the name of the PDI-P politician and former Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus.

There are several stages of giving money with varying amounts in this case. One of them, when Harry Sidabuke, who is a private party, prepared IDR 150 million in an acoustic guitar.

Not only that, the KPK also revealed that Harry had spent IDR 50 million to have fun with the Ministry of Social Affairs' commitment maker (PPK) official Matheus Joko Santoso at Karoke Raia in October 2020.

Furthermore, still in the same month, Harry handed over IDR 200 million in the Ministry of Social Affairs Building.

Apart from these gifts, Harry has also handed over money totaling IDR 780 million during the period June to July. This giving was also carried out on the 5th floor of the Ministry of Social Affairs building.

Through this reconstruction, the KPK revealed the participation of former Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus.

In the first scene of this reconstruction, Ihsan Yunus, played by a stunt double, joins a meeting in the room of the Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) Syafii Nasution. This meeting took place in February 2020.

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, is described as having a conversation with Joko and M Syafii Nasution.

Not only that, through an intermediary or operator named Agustri Yogasmara alias Yogas, Ihsan is said to have received IDR 1.53 billion and two Brompton folding bicycles from the suspect Harry Sidabuke.

Based on this reconstruction, Harry gave money through Yogas in June 2020 around Jalan Salemba Raya. The giving is done in a car. Meanwhile, two Brompton bikes were awarded in November 2020.

Ihsan Yunus is in the vortex of the social assistance bribery case

The former Deputy Chairperson of Commission VIII DPR RI, who has now been transferred to Commission II of the DPR RI, is often associated with the alleged bribery case for the social assistance of COVID-19 for the Greater Jakarta area which ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

The KPK even summoned Ihsan Yunus to be questioned on Wednesday, January 27. However, the legislator from PDI Perjuangan did not respond to the investigator's summons on the grounds that he had not received a summons so that he would be rescheduled.

Acting KPK spokesperson for prosecution Ali Fikri did not explain when this PDIP politician would be summoned again and examined in connection with the case.

To investigate Ihsan's involvement, the KPK ransacked his parents' residence in East Jakarta on Tuesday, January 12. As a result, investigators confiscated communication tools and several documents related to COVID-19 social assistance.

Investigators have also examined businessman Muhammad Rakyan Ikram twice who is said to be Ihsan Yunus' younger brother. During an examination carried out on 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.

In the COVID-19 social assistance bribery case, the KPK has named a number of suspects, including the inactive Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

In addition, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as recipients of bribes and AIM and HS as the givers of bribes.