Minister Of Health Invites KPK To Examine Alleged Corruption In PPE Expenditures At The Beginning Of The Pandemic

Budi Gunadi Sadikin (ANTARA)

The situation at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the period 2019-2020 was a crucial momentum in which the government had to make a quick decision. The Indonesian Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin initiated a transaction of shopping for personal protective equipment (PPE) which had to be fast at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to allegations of corruption.

"It (alleged corruption) was indeed an incident at the beginning, I learned before I entered (the Indonesian Ministry of Health) that there were purchases that had to be carried out quickly at the beginning, so that there could be many prices that might not be appropriate or different," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin in Jakarta, quoted from ANTARA.

Budi admitted that he had reminded all relevant public officials within the Indonesian Ministry of Health to be careful in making decisions to protect the public.

"There are indeed times when we have to make a quick decision. But I also say that all quick decisions must be appropriate, what is important is that our intention to do that, there is no intention of enriching ourselves," he said.

Budi said that the alleged corruption case in the procurement of PPE in the ranks of the Indonesian Ministry of Health occurred before he was appointed by President Joko Widodo to become Minister of Health.

"Indeed, that (alleged corruption) occurred at the beginning before I entered. But if it was to save the community, it shouldn't be a problem," he said.

Budi expressed his support for the Corruption Eradication Commission to handle the case thoroughly.

"I have asked, I am in a position at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, we support all law enforcement measures," he said.

The KPK has started an investigation into alleged corruption in the procurement of PPE at the Indonesian Ministry of Health since October 9, 2023. The corruption case allegedly occurred in the procurement of PPE at the Indonesian Ministry of Health Crisis Center in 2020 worth IDR 3.03 trillion for 5 million PPE sets.

However, the KPK has not announced who the parties have been named as suspects in this case. The provisional suspicion of state losses in that case is estimated at hundreds of billions of rupiah and is very likely to develop.