Arrest Musi Banyuasin Regent, KPK Urges Officials To Follow Infrastructure Project Procurement Regulations

Regent of Musi Banyuasin Dodi Reza Alex Noerdin (Photo: Public Relations of KPK RI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Alexander Marwata reminded regional heads and related officials to carry out procurement projects in accordance with applicable regulations.

He delivered this warning after the anti-corruption commission named the son of former South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin, the Regent of Musi Banyuasin Dodi Reza Alex Noerdin as a suspect in connection with alleged bribery in the procurement of infrastructure projects.

"As a public official who has the mandate to carry out development, it is necessary to follow the rules and procedures in terms of procurement of goods and services," Alex said in a press conference quoted from the Indonesian KPK YouTube, Sunday, August 16.

Officials, he continued, should not abuse their authority to take personal advantage of project work in their area, including asking for fees. This must be done so that the development carried out can benefit the community.

"Similarly for the private sector as a partner of the government. In carrying out development, it is necessary to carry out business practices with honesty and integrity so as to avoid corrupt practices," said Alexander.

As previously reported, the KPK named Musi Banyuasin Regent Dodi Reza Alex Noerdin as a suspect after he was caught in a red-handed operation (OTT) on Friday, October 15 and detained him at the KPK Rutan Kavling C1 Branch.

He was named a suspect along with three other people, namely the Head of PUPR, Musi Banyuasin Regency, Herman Mayori, who is currently being held at the KPK Detention Center at Pomdam Jaya Guntur; Head of SDA/PPK Department of PUPR, Musi Banyuasin Regency, Eddi Umari, who was detained at the KPK Rutan, Merah Putih Branch; and Director of PT Selaras Simpati Nusantara Suhandy who was also detained at the KPK Rutan, Merah Putih Branch.

In this case, Dodi has carried out a presumptuous practice by engineering a number of lists, including making a list of potential partners who will carry out project work. Not only that, Dodi apparently has determined the percentage of the fee for each project value with details of 10 percent for him, 3-5 percent for Herman, and 2-3 percent for Eddi and other related parties.

With the help of the deceitful practices that have been carried out, the company owned by Suhandy, namely PT Selaras Simpati Nusantara, was declared the winner of the four development projects. The project is the rehabilitation of the Ngulak III Irrigation Area (IDPMIP) in Ngulak III Village, Kec. Sanga with a contract value of IDR 2.39 billion; an increase in the DIR Epil irrigation network with a contract value of IDR 4.3 billion; improvement of irrigation network of DIR Muara Teladan with a contract value of Rp. 3.3 billion; normalization of Ulak Ria Lake, Sekayu District with a contract value of IDR 9.9 billion.

For this fraudulent act, it is suspected that Dodi will receive a commitment fee of Rp. 2.6 billion from Suhandy. However, when the OTT was carried out, he only received some of the money given through his subordinates, namely Herman and Eddi. In this OTT, the KPK secured Rp270 million and Rp1.5 billion from Dodi's aide in Jakarta.