Alexander Marwata Flooded With Extortion Complaints To Fund Incumbents For Candidates In Pilkada

Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Alexander Marwata (Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI)

Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Alexander Marwata admitted that WhatsApp messages were flooded from unknown numbers after ensnaring Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah through a hand arrest operation (OTT) on Saturday, November 23.

Many have complained about the alleged extortion to meet the incumbent needs of running for the 2024 Pilkada.

"After this incident I got WA from several numbers that I didn't know. He said, 'Sir, this is also the same in certain areas (there was extortion, red) and is even already in a structured, systematic, and massive level,' Alexander said as quoted from the KPK RI YouTube show, Monday, November 25.

This phenomenon is actually not new, Alex said. The KPK has even conducted studies with other institutions and the cause is due to high political costs.

"From the KPK study, LIPI and the Ministry of Home Affairs have calculated the average cost required by a regional head, the second level is if I'm not mistaken IDR 20 to IDR 30 billion. Then the provincial level is around IDR 50 billion," he explained.

"It's just to nominate, you don't necessarily win. If you want to win, it's two or three times. It's said like that," he said.

In addition, money is also often the determinant of the vote acquisition. However, most of these gifts did not come from the personal pocket of the candidate pair but from sponsors or pieces that led to extortion.

"Including, among others, in ways like this, right: support by promising later if I win you will remain the head of the service and so on, if you don't support and I win, I will replace you later," said Alex.

There is a kind of coercion, intimidation of officials in the regions, including their employees, to support the incumbent. This is what happened," he continued.

Previously reported, the KPK held a hand arrest operation (OTT) in Bengkulu Province on Saturday, November 23 and brought eight people for questioning. Then, three people were named as suspects, namely Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah, Bengkulu Provincial Secretary (Sekda) Isnan Fajri and Evrianshah alias Anca who is the Adc Governor of Bengkulu.

Allegedly the three of them carried out extortion and acceptance of gratuities to finance Rohidin who was running again in the selection of Bengkulu governor candidates for the period 2024-2029. During the silent operation, investigators found Rp7 billion in rupiah currency denominations, US dollars, and Singapore dollars.