Former KPU Commissioner Calls Johan Budi's Name To Talk About Brokers

Johan Budi. (Nailin In Saroh-VOI)

JAKARTA - Former Commissioner of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Wahyu Setiawan, mentioned Johan Budi's name when he conveyed about the number of brokers in the interim replacement for DPR members for Harun Masiku.

This was revealed in the trial when the prosecutor read out the investigation report (BAP) Wahyu number 15 during the trial of the alleged obstruction of the investigation and bribery of the management of PAW members of the DPR for the 2019-2024 period for the defendant Secretary General of PDIP, Hasto Kristiyanto.

"You explained regarding your efforts to get Harun Masiku elected as a member of the 2019-2024 DPR. This is your answer, yes; 'On another occasion I conveyed to Arief Budiman if he could communicate with Harun Masiku's brother, tell him that the PDIP's request regarding this matter could not be carried out. It's a pity Harun Masiku because there are many brokers'. What do you mean by many brokers?" asked the prosecutor during the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday, April 17.

Then, Wahyu said that his words had a meaning if he had asked Arief Budiman as the former chairman of the Indonesian KPU to convey to Johan Budi regarding the request for PAW management for Harun could not be carried out.

"It can be confirmed later to Mr. Johan. I conveyed this. At that time, the chairman, Mas Arief, would make a working visit that happened to be a team with Mr Johan Budi from PDIP (Uzbekistan, yes)," Wahyu replied.

"At that time I conveyed, because I had never met Harun Masiku, and I did not have any contact and communication, I conveyed to the chairman, "Mas asked for help to convey to Mr Johan," why Mr Johan? Because PDIP, my imagination has communication, to convey it can't. Because it can't," he continued.

Hearing this answer, the prosecutor moved by asking Wahyu to explain the context of his statement regarding brokers.

"Many brokers mean what?" asked the prosecutor.

"Yes, it's my language that can be interpreted, because many parties met me, while actually I couldn't. It's a pity," said Wahyu.

For information, Hasto was charged with obstructing the investigation by ordering Harun, through the Aspiration House guard, Nur Hasan, to submerge Harun's cell phone into the water after the arrests by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) against members of the General Election Commission (KPU) for the 2017-2022 period Wahyu Setiawan.

Not only Harun Masiku's cellphone, Hasto is also said to have ordered his aide, Kusnadi, to drown his cell phone in anticipation of forced attempts by KPK investigators.

In addition to obstructing investigations, Hasto was also charged together with advocate Donny Tri Istiqomah; the former convict of the Harun Masiku case, Saeful Bahri; and Harun Masiku gave money amounting to 57,350 Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp600 million to Wahyu in the 2019-2020 period.

The money is allegedly given with the aim that Wahyu seeks the KPU to approve an interim replacement request (PAW) for the Elected Legislative Candidate for the Electoral Region (Dapil) of South Sumatra (Sumsel) I on behalf of DPR Members for the 2019-2024 period Riezky Aprilia to Harun Masiku.