LPSK Reluctant To Comment Regarding SYL's Protection Request

Office of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) was reluctant to comment on the request for protection submitted by former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL).

The news regarding this request for protection is suspected to be related to the investigation into the alleged extortion case by the head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri.

Information about this request for protection emerged in the context of investigating the potential for corruption in the Ministry of Agriculture. However, the Chairperson of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), Hasto Atmojo Suroyo, admitted that he could not provide a statement regarding SYL asking for protection from LPSK.

"Sorry, we have not been able to comment or make a statement," said the Head of LPSK, Hasto Atmojo Suroyo, in a short message, Sunday, October 8.

Deputy Chairman of LPSK, Edwin Partogi, gave a similar response when contacted at the same time. He did not provide further comments regarding the circulation of documents for receipt of witness protection applications submitted by Minister of Agriculture SYL to LPSK.

"With an apology, we have not been able to comment," said Edwin briefly.

In the documents circulating among journalists, the letter of application from the Minister of Agriculture SYL was received on Friday last week. Apart from the name Syahrul Yasin Limpo, there are three other names included in the application file for the protection of the same witness.

The three individuals are the Director of Tools and Machines of the Ministry of Agriculture, Muhammad Hatta, aide to the Ministry of Agriculture, Panji Harjanto, and a person named Hartoyo.

The files for requests for protection for the four individuals were submitted to the Head of the LPSK Application Review Bureau, Muhammad Ramdan.

The investigation into the alleged extortion involving the KPK leadership is currently underway at Polda Metro Jaya. The case for the case that came in through a complaint in August 2023 was completed on Friday last week.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation (Dirreskrimsus) Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Pol Ade Safri Simanjuntak confirmed that the investigation warrant had been issued after the title of the case.

Polda Metro Jaya is currently trying to gather evidence and has examined six witnesses, including the Semarang Police Chief Kombes Irwan Anwar.

Ade added that the authorities would recall Irwan as a witness in the process of investigating the case.