People Who Corrupt Covid-19 Handling Money Are Threatened With The Death Penalty

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Firli Bahuri, said that perpetrators of corruption who take advantage of the budget for handling the corona virus or COVID-19 outbreak can be punished by death.

"The KPK will act very hard if it finds violations and corrupt elements. Disaster budget corruption is a serious crime that deserves to be prosecuted with the death penalty," Firli said as quoted by VOI in his written statement, Tuesday, March 24.

However, Firli asked officials to not hesitate to procure goods and services in accordance with the regulations in force during this corona pandemic. The goal is that this virus can be handled properly.

Even so, the KPK will closely monitor the procurement of goods and services in the context of tackling COVID-19. The KPK will collaborate with the Government Goods / Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP) and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) to oversee the procurement of these goods and services.

Firli said, the procurement of goods or services must be carried out based on the provisions in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 16 of 2018 and Regulation of the LKPP Institution Number 13 of 2018.

"The procedure for procurement of goods and services in emergency conditions is carried out in a simple and different way, by direct appointment as Presidential Decree Number 16 of 2018 and Regulation of the LKPP Institution Number 13 of 2018," he said.

Later, budget users instruct the Commitment Making Officer (PPK) to appoint providers to carry out work based on existing needs.

"In an emergency, it can be self-managed, as long as there is self-management capability," he said, adding that in this appointment, the track record of providers must still be considered.

The exclusion and ease of procurement procedures, said Firli, must be ensured that there are no corrupt elements such as collusion, nepotism, markups, kickbacks or gratuities that result in losses to state finances or the economy.

As previously reported, President Joko Widodo has officially ordered Ministries and Institutions to divert budgets for handling COVID-19. This order was issued after Jokowi signed Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2020.

This Presidential Instruction is a follow-up to a meeting on Wednesday, March 11, which ordered Ministries and Agencies to reallocate budgets. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) has also reallocated the Ministry and Institution's budget of up to IDR 62.3 trillion in order to handle the spread of COVID-19.