Nurdin Abdullah Admits Receiving 150 Thousand Singapore Dollars

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MAKASSAR - Governor of South Sulawesi, Nurdin Abdullah, admitted that he received 150 thousand Singapore dollars in 2019 from defendant Agung Sucipto.

"It's true that the money was brought by Pak Aanggu and it was for the sake of the Bulukumba Regional Head Election," said Nurdin Abdullah in response to a question by KPK prosecutor Ronald Ferdinand Worotikan virtually in Makassar, quoted by Antara, Thursday, June 10.

He said that he received the money as much as 150,000 Singapore dollars to win one of the candidates for the Bulukumba Regent Tommy Satria-Andi Makkasau in the 2020 Pilkada.

Nurdin denied that the 150,000 Singapore dollars was used as a bribe to get an infrastructure project auctioned by the South Sulawesi Provincial Government.

"The money has nothing to do with any kind of project, the money is to win our candidate pair in Bulukumba," he said.

He stated that the 150 thousand Singapore dollars or the equivalent of 1.5 billion rupiahs would be used to pay the witness wages of the candidate pairs as well as to finance the activities of political parties.

The prosecutor who heard the testimony of Nurdin Abdullah also questioned him with other questions, including the motive for giving the money, if there was another purpose for political interests.

"It is purely for political activities, not related to projects. Pak Angu is not only a contractor, but also as an administrator for one of the political parties in Bulukumba," he continued.

Previously, the KPK team held a Hand Catching Operation (OTT) against a number of people on Jalan Sultan Hasanuddin related to alleged bribery, after receiving a report on Friday (26/2) night. 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.