The Ministry Of Energy And Mineral Resources Has Not Fired 10 Employees Trapped In Tukin Corruption Cases

Office of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) will dismiss 10 of its employees who have been named suspects by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for the alleged corruption case of performance allowances (tukin).

"So, if it has entered the realm of law, of course we have to obey the rules and indeed the status will definitely be decided later from the employment status," said ESDM Minister Arifin Tasrif as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 16.

He said this was in response to the fact that nine of the 10 suspects in the case had been officially detained by the KPK on Thursday (15/6).

Regarding the case, he said his ministry had also previously received a report, then it was followed up internally.

"So, if it's the Tukin, I've explained it before. In fact, we have received a report that we are currently in the process internally. So, this process speeds up the status of the suspects and then it will be processed legally," he said.

Previously, the KPK detained nine suspects in the alleged corruption case of Tukin for the 2020 to 2022 fiscal year at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

"For investigation needs, the KPK then detained nine suspects with the first detention period for the next 20 days starting from June 15 to July 4, 2023," said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri during a press conference at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Thursday (15/6).

The suspects are the Officials of the Signing of the Payment/Sub-Division of the Treasury Priyo Andi Gularso (PAG), Commitment Making Officer (PPK) Novian Hari Subagio (NHS), and PPK staff Lernhard Febian Sirait (LFS).

Furthermore, the Treasurer of Expenditures of Christa Handayani Pangaribowo (CHP), PPK Haryat Prasetyo (HP), SPM Operator Beni Arianto (BA), Billing Tester Hendi (H), Employee Expenditure Administration Management Officer (PPABP) Rokhmat Annashikhah (RA), and Accounting Verification and Equipment Implementer Maria Febri Valentine (MFV).

Meanwhile, the suspect Abdullah (A) as the Expenditure Treasurer has not been detained because he still has to undergo a medical examination. Regarding this matter, the KPK has also coordinated with the hospital and the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).

Firli explained that the construction of the case began when the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources realized the payment of personnel expenditures in the form of tukin with a total of Rp221,924,938,176 during 2020 to 2022.

During that period, treasury officials and other employees within the Finance Department of the Directorate General of Mineral Affairs of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, namely suspects LFS and friends, totaling 10 people, were suspected of manipulating and accepting payment of performance allowances that did not comply with the provisions.

The budget submission process is allegedly not accompanied by supporting data and documents, as well as carrying out a number of manipulations, such as the consolidation of the payment recapitulation list and the nominal list.

The PAG suspect also asked LFS to "funds are processed for us and safe", then "send" certain nominally to 10 people randomly and double or more payments to 10 people who have been determined.

As a result of this manipulation, the number of performance allowances that should have been paid increased from Rp1,399,928,153 to Rp29,003,205,373.

The difference in payments of Rp27,603,277,720 was allegedly received and enjoyed by the suspects and allegedly used for BPK RI examiners amounting to around Rp1,035 billion, tactical funds for office activities operations, personal needs such as Umrah cooperation, marriage donations, THR, treatment, as well as the purchase of assets in the form of land, houses, indoor volleyball, mes athletes, vehicles, and precious metals.

As a result of these irregularities, the state suffered a loss of around Rp. 27.6 billion.