MKD Summons Tempo Red Government Asking For Clarification Of Allegations Of DPR Members Receiving Bribes For Hajj Quota Billions Of Rupiah

Chairman of MKD Adang Daradjatun together with Deputy Chief Justice of MKD Habiburokhman/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives' Honorary Court (MKD) summoned the Chief Editor of Tempo Magazine, Setri Yasra, to ask for clarification on the results of her media report which stated that the DPR had accepted bribes in the distribution of the 2024 hajj quota.

Chairman of the MKD DPR Adang Daradjatun explained that the summons of Pimred Magazine Tempo was to conduct an in-depth investigation regarding the alleged sale and purchase of billions of rupiah in quotas and bribes by members of the DPR.

"Investigating, clarifying is not an examination. Obviously there was an allegation of buying and selling kouta and billions of rupiah in bribes to members of the House of Representatives. This is as an MKD, right? We have to clean it up. Is it true, there are members of the Indonesian House of Representatives who have actually received billions of rupiah in bribes?," said Adang, Monday, July 29.

According to Adang, all MKD leaders and members are responsible for the news.

Therefore, MKD invited Tempo to explain the results of the report with existing evidence such as recordings or others. However, Tempo Magazine was unable to fulfill the invitation of the DPR MKD.

"So once again the invitation is clarified, and I have great respect for the Press Law and the Press code of ethics. So once again to be heard that we have great respect. But please we are also respected as the Honorary Court of the Council which must maintain the honor and ethics of the Members of the House of Representatives, need to invite, want to be clear what really happened, which source said that members of the DPR received billions of rupiah," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the DPR MKD, Habiburokhman, said that this morning's summons invited a Tempo Magazine editor regarding his journalist's statement on the Podcast that there were allegations of bribery with a very fantastic amount to members of the DPR, especially in Commission VIII of the DPR related to the hajj quota for follow-up.

"Well, we at the MKD took the initiative to summon. Because if there is evidence, of course we must follow up as a violation of the code of ethics in this DPR. We will follow up and we will process anyone who commits or accepts the bribe," said Habiburokhman.

However, because Tempo was not present, the clarification hearing was postponed until next week. The DPR MKD, said Habiburokhman, gave Tempo the freedom to explain openly or behind closed doors.

"Essentially, we will submit the form or mechanism to our friends, if we want to be in a closed trial, we are ready to follow it," said the Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR.

Habiburokhman said that the basis for this summons refers to Article 128 of the MD3 Law, that the honorary court of the council can collect evidence, both before and at the Council's Honorary Court hearing.

The collection of evidence referred to in paragraph 1 can be done in finding facts in order to find the truth of a complaint or the truth of the evidence obtained at the Council Honorary Court (MKD) trial.

"Thirdly, in order to carry out the task of collecting evidence, MKD can ask expert witnesses and experts to understand the material for the violations reported," said Habiburokhman.

"So this actually depends on Tempo, the disclosure of this case, if Tempo doesn't want to come here, it's certainly very difficult to follow up on this problem," he concluded.

It is known, MKD has sent a clarification letter since July 26. In it, MKD specifically asked for Tempo's statement regarding the July 15-21 magazine report with the title Fulus Haji Plus-plus.

The Tempo editor in the edition wrote, "The Ministry of Religion has set a unilateral hajj quota that violates the law. There are allegations of buying and selling Hajj quotas and bribes of billions of rupiah to members of the DPR".