Bribery 'Knocking Palu' Jambi APBD Drags Entrepreneurs Paut Syakarin, KPK: Suspect Prepares Rp23 Billion, Pays Members Rp150 Million

Release of corruption case at KPK (Photo: KPK Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has again named a suspect in the bribery case of 'knock hammer' ratification of the Jambi Province RAPBD for the 2017-2018 Fiscal year. This determination was made after the arrest of the suspect.

The Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission, Karyoto, explained that the new suspect is a private businessman named Paut Syakarin.

"Observing the various facts during the trial process coupled with the support of sufficient preliminary evidence, the KPK raised the status of this case to the Investigation stage and continued to the Investigation stage by establishing the status of Suspect PS as private," Karyoto said in a virtual press conference, Sunday, August 8.

Karyoto explained, Paut was suspected of being one of the private parties who played a role as funders and provided additional money for the Jambi DPRD Commission III members with an amount of IDR 150 million each related to the 2017 Jambi Provincial RAPBD.

The amount of funds that Paut has prepared is Rp23 billion. The details, amounting to IDR 325 million in November 2016 for 13 members of Commission III, each of whom received IDR 25 million.

Then, money amounting to Rp. 1.950 billion around the end of January 2017 to 13 other members of Commission III.

Karyoto said the suspect had been properly summoned for examination. However, he was absent, so an attempt was made to force him to arrest him.

"The arrest effort on Saturday, August 7, 2021 took place in the Tebing Tinggi Village, Tebo Tengah District, Tebo Regency, Jambi by the Investigative Team in coordination and assisted by the ranks of the Tebo Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Jambi," he explained.

Paut is suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or b or Article 13 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.

So far, 22 people have been named as suspects, consisting of the governor, the leadership of the DPRD, the leadership of the DPRD faction, and the private sector. Among others are:

1. Zumi Zola, (Governor of Jambi 2016-2021)

2. Erwan Malik, (Plt. Regional Secretary of Jambi Province)

3. Arfan, (Plt Head of the Jambi Province PUPR Service)

4. Saifudin, (Assistant Region 3 Jambi Province)

5. Supriono, (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019)

6. Sufardi Nurzain (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019)

7. Muhammadiyah (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019)

8. Zainal Abidin (Dprd Member of Jambi Province 2014-2019)

9. Elhehwi (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019),

10. Gusrizal (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019)

11. Effendi Hatta (Member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019)

12. Jeo Fandy Yoesman Alias Asiang (Private)

13. Cornelis Buston (Chairman of DPRD)

14. AR. Syahbandar (Vice Chairman of DPRD)

15. Chumaidi Zaidi (Vice Chairman of DPRD)

16. Cekman (Conscience Restoration Faction)

17. Tadjudin Hasan (PKB Faction)

18. Nasution's Parliament (PPP Faction)

19. FR (Fahrurrozi/ member of DPRD Jambi Province 2014-2019 period)

20. AEP (Arrakhmat Eka Putra/member of the Jambi Provincial DPRD for the period 2014-2019)

21. WI (Wiwid Iswhara/member of Jambi Province DPRD 2014-2019)

22. ZA (Zainul Arfan/member of the Jambi Provincial DPRD 2014-2019)