Attorney General's Promise To Resolve Mega Corruption Asabri

Attorney General's Office Building (Source: Kejaksaanagung.go.id)

JAKARTA - Attorney General ST Buhanuddin considers the corruption case of the Indonesian Armed Forces Social Insurance (Asabri) to be the case with the largest state losses. He estimates that the value of corruption is IDR 23.7 trillion.

To restore public confidence in law enforcers, Burhanuddin promised to complete the disclosure of the Asabri corruption case.

"Wish me luck. Asabri's case is the largest corruption in Indonesia with IDR 23.7 trillion, God willing, it will be resolved. I'm not messing around here at all costs I have to finish. If it's a matter of whether or not the money can be returned, Jiwasraya can return it. But this is Asabri, one of the perpetrators is the same, there are items that have been confiscated. But we will continue to execute, God willing, "said Burhanuddin in Deddy Corbuzier's YouTube broadcast, Thursday, February 18.

For the Attorney General, corruption in Indonesia is like an iceberg. There is still a lot of corruption left untouched by various obstacles such as the lack of initial evidence.

"There are things that are revealed in 25 years because the perpetrators of corruption are smart people," he said.

Asabri's alleged corruption case began in 2012.

President Director, Director of Investment and Finance as well as Head of Investment Division Asabri agreed with Heru Hidayat, Benny Tjokrosaputro and Lukman Purnomosidi to buy shares using an investment management mode.

In fact, Heru, Benny and Lukman were not Asabri's investment consultants. The directors involved buy or exchange shares at a price that has been manipulated to be high in order to make Asabri's portfolio look good.

After the shares became Asabri's property, then the shares were traded or controlled by Heru, Benny and Lukman. Thus, it is as if these shares are of high value. In fact, this is only a pseudo transaction.

To avoid Asabri's investment losses, shares that had been sold below their acquisition cost were bought back by nominees Heru, Benny and Lukman and bought again by Asabri through an underlying mutual fund managed by an investment manager controlled by Heru and Benny.

All Asabri's investment activities from 2012 to 2019 were not controlled by Asabri, but were entirely controlled by Heru, Benny and Lukman.

This action was carried out through several investment management companies (MI) by deviating from the provisions of the prevailing laws and regulations.

The act is suspected to have resulted in state financial losses as stipulated in Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes.

The AGO is still handling the investigation process. The suspect's assets were confiscated until the examination of witnesses.

There are 9 people named by the AGO as suspects. The suspects were the Director of PT Asabri for the period 2011 - March 2016, Mayjen Purn. Adam Rachmat Damiri, Director of PT Asabri for the period March 2016-July 2020 Lieutenant General Purn. Sonny Widjaja, Finance Director of PT Asabri for the period October 2008-June 2014 Bachtiar Effendi, and Director of PT Asabri for the period 2013-2014 and 2015—2019 Hari Setiono.

Other suspects are the Head of the Investment Division of PT Asabri July 2012 - January 2017 Ilham W. Siregar, President Director of PT Prima Network Lukman Purnomosidi, Managing Director of PT Hanson International Tbk. Benny Tjokrosaputro, and Commissioner of PT Trada Alam Minera Heru Hidayat.

The ninth suspect in the alleged financial management corruption case in Asabri is Jimmy Sutopo (JS), Director of PT Jakarta Emiten Investor Relations.

Burhanuddin said he would "eliminate" the parties protecting the suspects in the alleged corruption case of PT Asabri Benny Tjokrosaputra and Heru Hidayat as well as other suspects.

He ensured that his staff would be upright in carrying out the laws and regulations in investigating the alleged corruption mega case.

"Nobody, anyone, there is strong, there is no strong person, who 'backup' Benny Tjokro, we will brush. God willing, I will carry out the laws and regulations, nothing, strong or not strong, we are safe. The task has been good so far. God willing, there will be no problems, ”said Burhanuddin, some time ago.

Burhanuddin emphasized that investigating the Asabri case does not only focus on punishment, but also prioritizes efforts to recover assets.

His party has mapped the whereabouts of these assets and coordinated with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to carry out tracing of these assets.

Burhanuddin also said that in the investigation into Asabri's alleged corruption case, his party received support from the Ministry of Defense and the TNI. Both institutions support that all perpetrators are exposed and assets are returned successfully.