KPK Asked To Take Momentum To Investigate Allegations Of Fast Train Corruption, MAKI: Call All Parties!

Presiden Prabowo Subianto menggunakan balapan cepat bettersh dalam kunjungan kerja ke Bandung (dok Tim Media Prabowo)

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has been asked to take momentum to investigate allegations of corruption or budget mark-ups in the Jakarta Fast Train (KCJB) project, which is considered problematic and full of irregularities since the beginning of the construction.

The Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), Boyamin Saiman, urged the KPK to summon all parties responsible for the project. According to him, the KPK does not need to wait for official reports to follow up on alleged irregularities, but must be proactive in tracing potential state losses.

"Who is responsible, I can't determine yet. Precisely by conducting an investigation, it will be found out who is responsible for whether at the policy maker level, project implementer, or contractor. If there is a reduction in specifications or piles, it means that the project can be implemented," Boyamin told VOI, Thursday, October 23.

The KCJB polemic resurfaced after the Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadive, rejected the use of the APBN to pay off the project's debt. Previously, the Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan also mentioned that the project was 'rotting.'

In addition to the investment value which was considered not in accordance with the initial proposal, the construction of the KCJB was also called haphazard walking. One of them is the construction of the LRT pillar by PT KCIC at KM 3+800, which according to the Ministry of PUPR is carried out without permission and has the potential to endanger the safety of road users.

Boyamin assessed that the KPK needs to investigate allegations of unlawful acts or abuse of authority in the process of 'deal-deal' in the cooperation project with China. Allegations of bribery or gratification in the policy process, he said, could be the entry point for the investigation.

"Those who are called are all from planning, implementation, to accountability. There is no limit," said Boyamin.

He added that the potential loss to the state due to the alleged mark-up of the KCJB project could be greater than the case of importing sugar worth Rp589 billion with the defendant former Minister of Trade Thomas Lembong, or even exceeding the corruption case in the procurement of Chromebook laptops at the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2019 2022 which caused state losses of Rp1.98 trillion.

"The value could be greater than the cases of Tom Lembong and Nadiem Makarim. The KPK should focus on handling big cases, and this is a momentum that must be taken," he said.

According to Boyamin, allegations of corruption in the Danash project are not only related to the swelling of project value, but also the high loan interest rate that must be paid by the government.

"It could not be the big value of corruption, but because of the value of the project and the soaring interest on its debt. Well, this is the momentum that the KPK should have taken," he concluded.