Former Adjutant Nurdin Abdullah Admits That Money From Entrepreneurs Is Often Deposited, Kept In Rumdin's Room

South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Former aide to the inactive Governor of South Sulawesi (Sulsel) Nurdin Abdullah, Syamsul Bahri admitted to receiving billions of rupiah in deposit from businessmen. The money is packed in cardboard.

This was conveyed by Syamsul when he was presented as a witness for the accused contractor Agung Sucipto, at the Makassar Corruption Court (Tipikor), Thursday, June 3.

"I was only ordered (Nurdin Abdullah, ed) to take a number of names, then I took them to the office," said Syamsul Bahri before the Makassar Corruption Court of Justice chaired by Ibrahim Palino, in Makassar, reported by Antara.

He said that he and another aide, Salman Nasir, often took turns guarding the inactive South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah, including being a liaison with officials and their relations.

Syamsul Bahri revealed that in January 2021, he was once asked to meet with Robert to collect money that was deposited in a cardboard box, then taken to Nurdin Abdullah's private room at the Governor's House on Jalan Sungai Tangka Makassar.

After taking and bringing the money to Nurdin Abdullah's private room, Syamsul, who had been with him for more than 10 years, then reported that the deposit had been placed on the bed.

After a few days later, he was again ordered to meet with Khaeruddin at his home, at The Mutiara Housing Jalan AP Pettarani to pick up a cardboard box containing money which was then brought back to Nurdin Abdullah's office.

"I was only asked to meet the people to collect the deposit. It contained money, but I don't know the exact amount, maybe it was Rp. 1 billion each," he said again.

After reporting and handing over all the money in the box, Syamsul was then asked to meet another contractor, Ferry Tandiadi, to collect the money.

Syamsul admitted that the money from Ferry Tandiadi was around Rp. 2.2 billion, according to the investigator's confirmation when he was undergoing examination at the KPK. After meeting Ferry, he also met the fourth contractor Haji Momo and received an envelope.

"If the deposit from Haji Momo was an envelope, and I took it when it was late at night. Later the next day I reported it to Mr. and handed it over," he said again.

Meanwhile, another aide, Salman Natsir, also admitted that he had been entrusted by Agung Sucipto to give a suitcase to Nurdin Abdullah.

"I was asked to meet Pak Agung and I was given a suitcase, I don't know its contents. Later I will know the contents of the money, after Mrs. Sari (Head of Procurement of Goods and Services of the South Sulawesi Provincial Government) took the suitcase to Bank Mandiri KCP Panakkukang," he said again

Salman admitted that the money in the yellow suitcase had to be exchanged for new money at Bank Mandiri KCP Panakkukang, and at that time, there was only IDR 400 million in stock.

"I was asked to take the money to the bank to exchange it for new money. I handed the suitcase directly to Mr. Ardi (Head of KCP Mandiri Panakkukang) in front of the teller and then I was invited to his room," he also said.

Salman stated that at that time, the amount of Rp. 400 million was less than Rp. 1.6 million and then he reported the shortage to Sari Pujiastuti, and he was asked to make up for it using his personal money.

"I used Rp1.6 million of my money and then I took it to the rujab. After that, I went to report to Mr. NA at his private house in Perumdos. After reporting it, I returned to KCP Mandiri Panakkukang to take another Rp.400 million and handed it over to Nurdin Abdullah in his rujab. After it was finished, I met with Mrs. Sari and I was replaced with Rp.

Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) team organized a Hand Catching Operation (OTT) against a number of people on Jalan Sultan Hasanuddin related to alleged bribery, after receiving reports on Friday, February 26 evening. President Director of PT Agung Perdana Bulukumba Agung Sucipto was known to have given money through Edy Rahmat, always the Secretary of the South Sulawesi PUTR Service.

After the transaction, the team arrested Agung Sucipto, on his way back to Bulukumba Regency, while Edy Rahmat had been previously secured. In the development process, the team moved to the South Sulawesi Governor's Office on Saturday, February 27 in the morning.

The next team picked up Nurdin Abdullah, because he was said to be involved in a bribery case for an infrastructure project. The two suitcases confiscated from the operation amounted to Rp. 2 billion.