Pati Residents Are Not Satisfied With The KPK Regarding Sudewo's Status In The DJKA Case: We Can't Go Home Empty-handed!

Pati Residents had a dialogue with the Spokesperson for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Budi Prasetyo/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - Pati residents were dissatisfied with the statement made by the Spokesperson for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Budi Prasetyo during a dialogue in front of the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.

They are waiting for further statements regarding the legal status of the Regent of Pati Sudewa alias Sudewo regarding the alleged bribery of the construction of the railway line at the Director General of Railways (DJKA) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub).

"Please discuss the representatives of the KPK here, if we want an open debate, what is the mechanism. Please open the debate, we dare. We cannot go home empty-handed," said one Pati resident who was present at the location via the loudspeaker, Monday, September 1.

"We can't go home with uncertainty, we can't go home just by, tomorrow, tomorrow tomorrow," he continued.

The resident's representative said he would not carry out anarchic actions.

"But please listen to the voices of the people of Pati Regency. Don't let the people of Pati Regency not believe in the KPK," he said.

Meanwhile, Budi Prasetyo in front of the Pati residents only confirmed that the legal process related to the alleged corruption of the DJKA Ministry of Transportation's bribery which allegedly involved Sudewo was still ongoing.

"The investigation of the case is still in progress, so we make sure the investigation of the case does not stop. The investigation of the case is still in progress," Budi said in a statement.

Even so, Budi said, investigations into alleged corruption cannot be carried out haphazardly. He stressed that there is a legal principle that must be adhered to.

However, Budi invited Pati residents to submit additional information to the KPK if they had it.

"We are open, we are very open to accepting suggestions and input, which can support the handling of the case," he said.

"Moreover, the KPK building is a people's building, always open to all people in Indonesia," he continued.

The KPK previously agreed that Sudewo had returned the money he received related to the alleged DJKA bribery. However, this return does not mean that he is forgiven.

"It's true, as stated at the trial, it has been returned," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted on Friday, August 14.

Asep explained that Article 4 of the Anti-Corruption Law said that the refund did not erase the crime that had been committed. Meanwhile, Sudewo is suspected of having participated in receiving a commitment fee in this case and it was revealed at the trial in November 2023.

The KPK said that Sudewo was suspected of playing the DJKA project in a number of areas.

"The role is not only in Solo Balapan-Kadipiro," said Asep, who is also the Director of KPK Investigations.

"So we are still waiting because this must be complete. So the person concerned (Sudewo, ed) is not only in that project, so in almost all projects there is a role," he concluded.