Secretary General Of The Ministry Of Social Affairs Denies Receiving Fee, Claiming To Only Get Brompton Bicycles

ILLUSTRATION / BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) Hartono denied receiving the COVID-19 food assistance fee but admitted that he received a Brompton bicycle.

"Never got money from social assistance," said Hartono at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) quoted by Antara, Wednesday, May 5.

Hartono became a witness for the defendant, former Social Minister Juliari Batubara, who was charged with accepting bribes of Rp.32.482 billion from 109 companies providing social assistance for COVID-19.

"However, I was sent a Brompton bike from Adi Wahyono through the driver because I had been looking for Brompton for a long time, but I never asked Adi Wahyono for help, only he knew I was looking for Brompton," said Hartono.

Adi Wahyono is the Head of General Bureau of the Ministry of Social Affairs as well as a commitment maker (PPK) for the procurement of social assistance for COVID-19 for the period of October-December 2020 as well as the power of budget user (KPA) in April-September 2020.

"The price, I do not know how much and the source of the money, I also do not know where. I asked where the bike was from. He did not answer. However, it didn't take long for me to know that the bike was paid by Joko," said Hartono.

The Joko in question is Matheus Joko Santoso who served as PPK for the provision of COVID-19 basic food assistance at the Directorate of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims of the Ministry of Social Affairs for the April-October 2020 period.

"Someone informed him that the money was from Joko, then in the end I got information and even about who sold it. Then I looked to find out the truth about the gift of the bicycle," said Hartono.

According to Hartono, the price of the bicycle is IDR 110 million for two bicycles.

"I don't know the exact price, but it says Rp110 million for two bicycles, another for the Director General of Social Security Protection (Linjamsos)," said Hartono.

Hartono admitted that after discussing with his colleagues at the Ministry of Social Affairs, he returned the bicycle to the Ministry of Social Affairs General Bureau in October 2020.

"I returned it to the General Bureau to be returned to Pak Adi Wahyono," Hartono explained.

However, Hartono admitted that he had used the bicycle for an independence event at Juliari's official residence.

"It was once used for a fun bike on August 17 during an activity at the Minister's house. The Minister also rode a bicycle but the brand is Dahon," said Hartono.

The red Brompton bike that Hartono got has been returned to the KPK.

"The bicycle is already at the KPK, it has been returned because I also have a bicycle," said Hartono.

In Juliari's indictment, it was stated that the fee money from the company providing basic food assistance was also to buy 2 units of Brompton brand bicycles for Rp110 million each for the Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs Hartono and the Director General of Social Protection and Social Security of the Ministry of Social Affairs Pepen Nazaruddin. Hartono is also said to have received Rp200 million from the fee money.