Unila Chancellor's OTT Occurs When There Are Reports Of Prospective Students Whose Grades Are Bad In High School But Are Actually Accepted

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed that the arrest operation (OTT) of the Chancellor of the University of Lampung (Unila) Karomani occurred because prospective students who had bad grades during high school were actually accepted through independent channels.

Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Alexander Marwata said that this was considered detrimental by other parties. So in the end someone reported it.

"Yesterday there happened to be a disadvantaged party who knew there was a student whose grades were bad in high school, not smart, how come they passed. Meanwhile, 'my son who is smarter didn't pass'. This means that someone who was harmed then reported it," Alexander told reporters at the Red House. White KPK, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, August 22.

Alexander reminded that giving bribes to enter state universities is definitely not justified. Moreover, if there are parties who are harmed from this presumptuous practice.

"If everyone is equally happy, no one will report it. Unless there is a party who is harmed," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK named four suspects for alleged bribery of accepting new students at the University of Lampung in 2022. The determination of these suspects began with arrest operations carried out in Lampung, Bandung and Bali.

The suspects involved in this case are the Chancellor of the University of Lampung 2020-2024 Karomani; Vice Chancellor I for Academic Affairs, University of Lampung Heryandi; Chairman of the Senate of the University of Lampung Muhammad Basri; and private Andi Desfiandi.

In this case, Karomani is suspected of fixing the price of seats for prospective new students on his campus at a price ranging from Rp. 100 million to Rp. 350 million when carrying out the Independent Selection for Entrance to the University of Lampung (Simanila). This request was made after Heryandi and Muhammad Basri personally selected the student's parents' ability to pay.

As for one of the families of the prospective Simanila participants, Andi then took the initiative to pay after his family was accepted as a student because of Karomani's assistance. He then handed over Rp150 million in cash in Lampung which was taken by a lecturer, namely Mualimin.

From his actions, Karomani allegedly managed to collect Rp603 million from Mualimin which was then used for personal purposes amounting to Rp575 million.

Meanwhile, from Muhammad Basri and Budi Sutomo, who are the Head of the Planning and Public Relations Bureau at the University of Lampung, it is suspected that the total money received by Karomani reached Rp. 4.4 billion. This money is then transferred to savings deposits, gold bars, and some are still in cash.