Social Minister Juliari Batubara, Corruption Suspect Bansos COVID-19 Turns Over To KPK

Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara, suspect of COVID-19 social assistance corruption at the KPK (IST) building

JAKARTA - Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara (JPB) surrendered to the KPK. Social Minister Juliari was named a corruption suspect because he received money from partner companies for the provision of COVID-19 basic food assistance.

Social Minister Juliari Batubara surrendered to the KPK at 02.50 WIB, Sunday, December 6. Wearing a black jacket, mask, hat, Social Minister Juliari said nothing. Only a gesture hand wave is shown.

The KPK OTT was carried out in relation to the provision of social assistance for COVID-19 in the form of basic food packages at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020 with a value of around Rp. 5.9 trillion with a total of 272 contracts and carried out in 2 periods.

"JPB (Juliari P Batubara) as the Minister of Social Affairs appointed MJS and AW as PPK in the implementation of the project by directly appointing partners and it is suspected that it was agreed to determine a fee for each work package which partners must deposit to the Ministry of Social Affairs through MJS," said Firli, referring to the COVID-19 social assistance mode of corruption at the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The KPK said that the fee for each Bansos package was agreed upon by MJS and AW of IDR 10,000 per food package, of a value of IDR 300 thousand per social assistance package.

Furthermore, by MJS and AW in May to November 2020, work contracts were made with several suppliers as partners, including AIM, HS and also PT RPI (Rajawali Parama Indonesia) which allegedly belonged to MJS.

"The appointment of PT RPI as one of the partners was allegedly known by JPB (Juliari Peter Batubara) and approved by AW," said Firli.

There are 5 suspects in the COVID-19 social assistance corruption case. Three suspects who received money from corruption are Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara (JPB), a commitment maker at the Ministry of Social Affairs Matheus Joko Santoso (MJS) and Adi Wahyono (AW).

Meanwhile, the other two suspects were private providers, namely Ardian IM (AIM) and Hary Sidabuke (HS).

Regarding the corruption of the COVID-19 social assistance OTT, the KPK then confiscated the money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags.

"Previously, AIM and HS had prepared money in one of the apartments in Jakarta and in Bandung, which was stored in 7 suitcases, 3 backpacks and a small envelope, which amounted to around IDR14.5 billion," said Firli.

From the COVID-19 social assistance corruption OTT, money was found in rupiah denominations and foreign currency.

"Each of them is around Rp. 11.9 billion, around USD 171,085 (equivalent to Rp. 2,420 billion) and around SGD 23,000 (equivalent to Rp. 243 million)," said Firli.