KKB Becomes The Pretext For The Delay Of Construction Of 471 4G BTS Towers In Papua

The follow-up trial of the BTS Bakti Kominfo corruption case at the Jakarta/PHOTO Corruption Court: Rizky Adytia-VOI

JAKARTA - Head of the Lastmile and Backhaul Division of BAKTI Kominfo, Muhammad Feriandi Mirza said 471 4G BTS towers had not yet been built in Papua.

The reason is that the Free Papua Organization (OPM) Armed Violence Group (KKB) movement hampers its development process.

The explanation was made when Chief Judge Fahzal Hendri questioned the development of the 4G BTS construction project. Because, Mirza stated that the process was still ongoing.

"Now it's finished, right?" asked Chief Judge Fahzal during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday, July 25.

"As of July 16 for 4,200, there were 3,175 (power) already on the water," Mirza replied.

Hearing this question, Judge Fahzal alluded to the unfinished construction of BTS. Mirza said there were hundreds of towers that had not been built in Papua.

The reason is that the KKB terror action has delayed all development processes.

"Ada juga yang belum mulai pembangunan?" tanya Hakim Fahzal.

"Some have not started construction because of the security sphere in Papua," said Mirza.

"What's wrong?" said Judge Fahzal.

"There is a KKB OPM movement, there are 471," said Mirza.

In fact, said Mirza, there have been payments against the parties chosen to build hundreds of BTS towers.

"If you can't do it, you will be paid too?" asked Judge Fahzal.

"There has been payment," Mirza replied.

In this case, former Minister of Communication and Information Johnny Plate was charged with alleged corruption in the provision of BTS infrastructure and supporters of Kominfo for the 2020-2022 period which cost the state finances Rp8,032,084,133,795.51.

In the indictment, it was also stated that a number of parties who benefited from the development project, namely Johnny G. Plate received money amounting to Rp17,848,308,000.00, Anang Achmad Latif as the President Director of the Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) and the power of budget users (KPA) received Rp5 billion.

Furthermore, Yohan Suryanto as an expert on Human Development at the University of Indonesia (HUDEV UI) received Rp453,608,400.00.

Next, Irwan Hermawan as Commissioner of PT Solitech Media Sinergy received IDR 119 billion, Windi Purnama as Director of PT Multimedia Berdikari Sejahtera received IDR 500 million Muhammad Yusrizki as Director of PT Basar Utama Prima received IDR 50 billion and 2.5 million US dollars.

Then the FiberHome Consortium PT Telkominfra PT Multi Trans Data (PT MTD) for Packages 1 and 2 received Rp2,940,870,824,490.00, the Huawei SEI Linta Consortium for Package 3 received Rp1,584,914,620,955 and the IBS Consortium and ZTE Package 4 and Package 5 received Rp3,504,518,715,600.00