Observers Say Azis Syamsuddin Takes Advantage Of Position To Secure His Case

KPK press conference on the determination of Azis Syamsuddin as a suspect in a corruption case (Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Azis Syamsuddin, is now forced to feel the coldness of the detention room after being named a suspect for giving bribes to former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Stepanus Robin Pattuju, who became the broker of the case.

The bribe was given by Azis along with the former chairman of the Golkar Party Youth Force (AMPG) Aliza Gunado allegedly in order to secure them related to the alleged corruption of the Special Allocation Fund (DAK). So what caused Azis to give a bribe of up to Rp4 billion to Stepanus?

The Executive Director of Indonesia Political Review, Ujang Komaruddin, said that the bribe was given because Azis felt that his high-profile position could be used to influence people here and there, including at the KPK.

"With a high position, (Azis Syamuddin) has the influence to lobby here and there," said Ujang when contacted by VOI, Monday, September 27.

In addition, the inactive Deputy Chairperson of the Golkar Party has also occupied an important position in Commission III and is close to police officers. So, he felt he could ask for help from them, including Stepanus who is a former investigator from the Bhayangkara Corps.

It's just that Azis can be said to be unlucky or unlucky. The reason is that Azis instead became Setya Novanto's successor to wear the orange vest because his actions were actually exposed by the KPK.

"Azis's fate said otherwise. Instead of being safe, he was arrested," he said.

Azis Syamsuddin has officially become a resident of the South Jakarta Police Branch Rutan since last Friday, September 24. This happened because the KPK officially named him a suspect in alleged bribery in handling corruption cases in Central Lampung.

KPK chairman Firli Bahuri said Azis was suspected of giving bribes to a former anti-corruption commission investigator who became a case broker, Stepanus Robin Pattuju, and a lawyer named Maskur Husein to handle the case.

He revealed that this case began in August 2020 when Azis contacted Stepanus to deal with allegations of corruption in Central Lampung regarding the Special Allocation Fund. This case is said to have ensnared him and former chairman of the Golkar Party Youth Force (AMPG) Aliza Gunado.

Receiving the request, Stepanus contacted Maskur Husein to oversee and manage the case, which was later approved but on the condition that Azis and Aliza had to prepare Rp2 billion.

After the agreement was made, Maskur asked Azis for a down payment of Rp300 million. The technique of giving money from Azis was done through bank account transfer using the bank account of the lawyer, Maskur Husein.

Azis agreed to the request, then sent Rp200 million to Maskur Husein's account in stages through his personal account.

Furthermore, the money distribution was carried out in stages, amounting to 100 thousand US dollars, 17,600 Singapore dollars, and 140,500 Singapore dollars. This foreign currency was then exchanged by Stepanus and Maskur Husein to a money changer to become rupiah currency using the identity of another party.

As for the money that Azis gave to Stepanus and Maskur, only Rp3.1 billion was realized from a total of Rp4 billion. For his actions, Azis was then suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or Article 5 paragraph (1) letter b or Article 13 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by the Law of the Republic of Indonesia. Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption.