Revealed! Azis Syamsuddin 'Asked' Fee 8 Percent To Central Lampung Ex Regent

Azis Syamsuddin/Antara

JAKARTA - The former regent of Central Lampung, Mustafa, admitted that former Deputy Speaker of the DPR from the Golkar Party faction, Azis Syamsuddin, had asked for an 8 percent "fee" from the Special Allocation Fund (DAK) which Azis would administer.

"The discussion with Mr. Azis will take care of the budget in Central Lampung and we ask Mr. Azis for the budget as the Chairman of the Banggar (Budget Agency) DPR to repair damaged Central Lampung roads, at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor), reported by Antara, Monday, November 1.

"Is there talk of the nominal 8 percent?" asked the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Wahyu Dwi Oktavianto.

"There were talks like that, but I told Mr. Azis later to discuss it with Taufik Rahman, I don't understand the technicalities," Mustafa replied.

Mustafa testified via a video conference link from the Sukamiskin Prison in Bandung, where he was serving a 4-year sentence in a bribery case and gratification for the procurement of goods and services in Central Lampung in the 2018 fiscal year.

The conversation between Mustafa and Azis took place at the 2017 meeting, at which time Mustafa wanted to apply for the Special Allocation Fund (DAK) for changes to the 2017 fiscal year to Azis.

"In Central Lampung, all roads were damaged and Mr. Azis as the Head of Banggar and the person in charge in Central Lampung, I asked Junaidi if that was true? So it was conveyed to meet Mr. Azis," said Mustafa.

The Junaidi that Mustafa was referring to is the former chairman of the Central Lampung DPRD, Achmad Junaidi Sunardi, who is also serving a 4-year prison sentence, for being proven to have received bribes from Mustafa amounting to Rp1.25 billion to approve a loan plan for the Central Lampung Regency area to PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) of Rp300 billion in 2018.

"Mr. Junaidi is the chairman of the Central Lampung DPRD, both are Golkar, while Mr. Azis is the chairman of the Banggar DPR from Golkar, so they are close," said Mustafa.

Mustafa, Junaidi, and Azis met at Azis' house in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta in 2017.

At Azis' request for 8 percent of the proposed DAK, at first, Mustafa was worried that it would be canceled.

The money that Azis asked for was then given on July 21, 2021, by the Head of the Highways Section named Aan Riyanto.

"So on July 21, I received an order from Mr. Taufik to find a loan to give Aliza a total of Rp2,085 billion. First, I gave Rp1.135 billion to Aliza at the mall, the money was taken by a friend and then exchanged into Singapore dollars. Second, I handed over Rp950 million at the Veranda Hotel to Aliza and took her friend and exchanged it for dollars," said Aan, at the Jakarta Corruption Court.

After he gave the money to Aliza Gunado, who is Azis Syamsuddin's confidant, Aan then reported to the Head of the Central Lampung Highways Office, Taufik Rahman.

"Aan contacted me, he said it had been given to Vios Cafe," said Taufik.

Vios cafe is referred to as a cafe run by Azis Syamsuddin's younger brother, Vio.