Ex-Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi Again Asked the KPK to Delay the Examination 

Budi Karya Sumadi/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) again postponed the examination of the former Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi in the corruption case of alleged bribery of the East Java Regional Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) project. He was supposed to be questioned as a witness.

The examination of Budi Karya was actually carried out on Wednesday, February 18. However, the request for information was not carried out because he was not present with the excuse that he had a previously scheduled agenda.

After that, based on the information obtained, the investigators actually rescheduled the examination. But, the former minister of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) era again asked for a postponement next week.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo has not explained the rescheduling of Budi Karya. He only stated that investigators continued to coordinate to conduct an examination.

"Considering that the witness previously asked for a rescheduling," Budi told reporters, Wednesday, February 25.

The KPK reminded Budi Karya to cooperate with the investigators. "We are still waiting for confirmation, because every testimony from witnesses is needed in the disclosure of the case."

For information, Budi Karya in the trial was said to have met with Pati Regent Sudewo when he was in the position as a member of Commission V of the DPR RI for the 2020-2024 period.

In addition, the former minister also participated in the flow of corrupt money in the case. From various reports, it was mentioned that there was a helicopter rental for Budi Karya during a visit to the region.

Regarding this information, the KPK has already examined Budi Karya as a witness in July 2023. He was questioned about the bribery of the procurement and maintenance of railway lines in the South Sulawesi, Central Java, West Java, and Sumatra regions in the 2018-2022 period which dragged Harno and others.

As previously reported, the KPK continues to develop the bribery case for the railway line development project of the Director General of Railways (DJKA) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) for East Java. Most recently, Sudewo as a former Member of Commission V of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia for the period 2020-2024 was named a suspect.

Then, the KPK also promised to investigate the members of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives for the period 2019-2024 who enjoyed the flow of money. One of them is Lasarus as the Chairman of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives at that time and was said in the trial to enjoy a project fee of 10 percent.

He is suspected of receiving money flows with members of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives for the period 2019-2024 from various factions who are suspected of enjoying fees. They include Ridwan Bae, Hamka Baco Kady to Sadarestuwati.