Kaltara Prosecutor Investigates ASITA Case, Several Officials Investigated

PHOTO ISTIMEWA

TANJUNG SELOR - The High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati), North Kalimantan (Kaltara) continues to intensify the investigation into alleged corruption in the grant spending for the creation of the Tourism Information System Application (ASITA) at the Kaltara Tourism Service for the 2021 Fiscal Year.

After the search in three strategic locations, the team of investigators for Special Criminal Cases (Pidsus) of the North Sumatra Regional Attorney General's Office is still focusing on deepening the testimony of witnesses and strengthening the evidence that has been secured.

In the latest development, a number of officials are known to have been summoned and asked for information to trace in detail the role of each party in the planning, budgeting, and implementation of the tourism application project using state funds of Rp. 2.9 billion.

From the information obtained, a number of officials in the environment of the North Maluku Provincial Government in 2021 were summoned by the North Maluku Prosecutor's Office to be questioned. Among them were the Head of the Regional Finance and Asset Agency (BKAD), the former Regional Secretary of the North Maluku Province, and the former Head of Bappeda and Research and Development.

Head of the Legal Information Section (Kasi) of the Kaltara Regional Prosecutor's Office, Andi Sugandi, confirmed that the case process was still in the investigation stage.

"It is still under investigation, witness examination, deepening of evidence and experts," he said, Wednesday, January 28.

Andi emphasized that all parties who have a relationship and connection with the activity were also asked for information by investigators.

"All parties that have a relationship and connection are being investigated," he said.

When further confirmed regarding whether there were certain officials who were examined, Andi confirmed that he did not know in detail who had been summoned by the investigation team.

"If it's about who the official is, I don't know. The investigation team continues to work, later if there are developments that should be published, we will publish," he said.

He also explained that not all information could be conveyed to the public because some were still excluded in the investigation process.

"It's not possible yet, because there is some information that is excluded from being published," he explained.

"The testimony of these witnesses is crucial in helping investigators to compile the case construction in its entirety. The results of the examination will be matched with documents and evidence that have been confiscated during the search," he concluded.

This ASITA case has become a public concern because it concerns the use of budget in the tourism sector which should encourage regional promotion through information technology. Ironically, in its implementation it is suspected to have legal problems which are currently being seriously investigated by law enforcement officials.