KPK Alleges That PT EKI Boss Purchased A Packaged Drinking Water Factory Worth Rp60 Billion Using Corruption Money For PPE Procurement

KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that the suspect in the corruption case in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, Satrio Wibowo bought a packaged drinking water factory worth tens of billions of rupiah. The investigation was carried out by examining a witness, namely Agus Subarkah as an entrepreneur.

"The US witness was present and investigated regarding the alleged purchase of bottled drinking water factory assets located in the Bogor area by the suspect SW," KPK Spokesperson Tessa Mahardika told reporters, Tuesday, November 19.

Confirmed separately, Tessa said the factory was purchased by the President Director of PT Energi Kita Indonesia (EKI) in 2020. The agreed value reached IDR 60 billion.

"But only Rp. 15 billion has been paid, the source of the money is suspected to have come from a criminal act of corruption in the procurement of PPE," said the spokesman with the investigator's background.

As previously reported, the KPK has named and detained three suspects in alleged corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are the President Director of PT Permana Putra Mandiri (PPM), Ahmad Taufik; Commitment Making Officer (PPK) at the Health Crisis Center of the Indonesian Ministry of Health Budi Badya; and the President Director of PT Energi Kita Indonesia, Satrio Wibowo.

The three are suspected of causing the state to lose up to Rp319 billion based on the results of an audit by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP). This procurement budget comes from the Ready Fund for Using the 2020 National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

The KPK suspects that there has been a violation of the purchase procedure. Among other things, the distribution by the TNI at the order of the Head of BNPB at that time took PPD from a producer owned by PT PPM in the Bonded Area and sent it directly to 10 provinces without any documentation, supporting evidence and ordering letters.

Then there was a renegotiation carried out by Harmensyah as the BNPB Budget User Authority (KPA) so that the PPE price was lowered by 10 US dollars or from 60 dollars to 50 dollars. This process, called the KPK, does not refer to the price of the same brand PPE purchased by the Ministry of Health previously, which was Rp. 370 thousand.

Next there is a backdate to appoint Budi as PPK for the procurement of PPE at the Ministry of Health on March 28, 2020. Meanwhile, the letter was issued the day before.

Then, there is also an PPD Order Letter from the Ministry of Health to PT PPM in the amount of 5 million sets with a unit price of 48.4 US dollars signed by Budi, Ahmad Taufik and Satrio. However, there are no job specifications, work implementation time, payment and the rights and obligations of the parties in detail.

In addition, the Order Letter was addressed to PT PPM, but PT EKI also signed. As a result of their actions, the suspects were suspected of violating Article 2 paragraph 1 or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code (KUHP).