JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has asked the Directorate General of Immigration to prevent six people including two civil servants (ASN) of the Directorate General of Taxes of the Ministry of Finance from traveling abroad. This follows an investigation into alleged corruption related to taxation that he is currently investigating.
This tax-related bribery case was initially confirmed by KPK Deputy Chairman Alexander Marwata on Tuesday, March 2. Despite confirming the existence of an investigation, the anti-graft commission has not yet wanted to announce a suspect in the case.
"We are really investigating, but the suspect will be later. In that investigation, we are looking for evidence to determine the suspect. This is what we are doing", Alex told reporters at the KPK's Red and White House, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.
The KPK had named a suspect in this case. However, he did not want to explain further considering that the investigating team is currently still working on gathering evidence in the case.
Even so, Alex had leaked the mode of the tax corruption case he was currently investigating. According to him, the mode that was used in this case was the same as the case that had been handled by the KPK, namely that taxpayers gave bribes to tax auditors so that the tax value is low.
Also, he explained, the value of tax bribes that has occurred currently is around tens of billions of rupiah. "The bribes are also in the tens of billions. It is not wrong that it also involves a team of examiners. If the tax is that way, how do you make the taxpayer pay low taxes by bribing the examiner so that the tax is lowered", said Alex.
In investigating this case, the anti-corruption commission has coordinated with the Inspectorate General (Itjen) of the Ministry of Finance. The KPK, said Alex, will handle the bribery case while the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Finance and the Directorate General of Taxes of the Ministry of Finance will re-examine the tax payments suspected of containing the bribe.
Several days later, the KPK asked the Directorate General of Immigration to prevent the six people associated with this case from leaving the country. KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Affairs Ali Fikri said this was done to facilitate the investigation that was being carried out.
"Prevention of going abroad is of course in the interests of the smooth running of the investigation process so that if needed for the examination they are currently in the country", Ali said in a written statement to reporters, Thursday, March 4.
Furthermore, he said that this prevention had been carried out according to applicable procedures and was carried out against several suspects in this case. However, Ali did not specify who was prevented and how long it would take.
"The KPK has indeed sent a letter to the Directorate General of Immigration to prohibit several parties related to this case", he said.
The Directorate General of Immigration has also taken precautions against the six people requested by the KPK. Two ASNs prevented from leaving the country had the initials APA and DR while the rest were RAR, AIM, VL, and AS.
Prevention is valid for two and six months from February 8 to August 5.
"Two ASN Directorate General of Taxes, Ministry of Finance and four others (prevented, red) at the request of the Corruption Eradication Commission. This prevention is contained in a letter signed by the Director of Supervision and Enforcement of Men Immigration, on February 8, 2021", said the Head of Public Relations and General Affairs Directorate General of Immigration Arya Pradhana Anggakara in his written statement.
Fired by Sri Mulyani
Apart from being prevented from leaving the country, those involved in this case have also been fired by the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani. She said this firm step was taken not only because her subordinates had tarnished the institution but also the perpetrators were prosecuted legally.
"For employees of the Directorate General of Taxes who are suspected by the KPK to be involved in the practice of bribery, their duties have been exempted from their posts", she said in a virtual press conference.
Sri Mulyani hopes that this incident will be a valuable lesson for all parties so that it will not be repeated in the future. So, the dignity and good name of the Directorate General of Taxation institution can be maintained.
"Through this step, it is hoped that the law enforcement process by the KPK does not have a negative impact on the performance of the Directorate General of Taxes organization", she said.
"This (bribery case, red) is clearly a betrayal and has hurt the feelings of all employees at the Ministry of Finance throughout Indonesia", continued the Minister of Finance.
The suspicion of bribery to individuals at the Directorate General of Taxation originated from public reports in early 2020. From this information, the Ministry of Finance then took quick steps by optimizing the function of the internal compliance unit.
Not only that, but the Ministry of Finance is also collaborating with the KPK to thoroughly investigate this bribery case. "We do not tolerate acts of corruption and violations of the code of ethics committed by all or by anyone within the Ministry of Finance employees", she concluded.
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