Due To COVID-19, The Mega-Corruption Case Of E-KTP Walks In Place

Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Alexander Marwata (Photo; KPK Doc)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate allegations of corruption in the electronic identity card (e-KTP). Moreover, a number of the suspects involved in this case are abroad.

"We have determined several suspects who are domiciled abroad," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata in a press conference quoted from the Indonesian KPK YouTube, Wednesday, August 25.

He said the restrictions imposed by the government made it difficult for his party to ask for information from the suspects. In addition, the suspects are now permanent residents, so they need to coordinate with the relevant countries.

Even so, Alex said the investigation into this mega-corruption case would continue. The order to investigate the alleged corruption of the e-KTP, he continued, is also still valid.

"(The investigation, ed) continues because we have issued the investigations and we have identified several suspects," he said.

For information, the corruption case in the procurement of e-KTP has cost the state up to Rp. 2.3 trillion if you refer to the report from the Supreme Audit Agency. This case has dragged the names of a number of high-ranking officials in the ministry, such as the former Director General of Dukcapil Irman and former officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sugiharto. In addition, there are also the names of the former chairman of the DPR RI Setya Novanto, former member of Commission III DPR RI Fraction Hanura Miryam S Haryani, former member of Commission III DPR RI Markus Nari.

The KPK last named four new suspects in the e-KTP case in August 2020. They are former members of Commission II of the DPR RI Hanura Party faction Miryam S Haryani, President Director of the Republic of Indonesia Printing Company (PNRI) and Chairman of the PNRI Consortium Isnu Edhi Wijaya, Head of the Information Technology Technical Team for the Application of KTP Husni Fahmi, and President Director of PT Shandipala Arthaputra Paulus Tanos.