Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as of Monday (20/5), has received three reports about receipts of gratuities related to Eid al-Fitr.

"We have just received gratuity reports, around May 20, in the form of three items. Some are in the form of money and some are in the form of goods," KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said in the KPK building in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, he said, the three items included parcels of food with an estimated value of some Rp2 million, cash worth Rp200 thousand, and bouquets worth Rp2.5 million.

"On the one hand, of course, we hope that such report does not need to be issued often, because it (the gift) could be rejected since the beginning. So, we hope that officials also expressly reject gratuities from parties related to their positions," Febri said.

In addition, he said, the KPK noted that official cars were not to be used for the benefit of driving home before the feast.

"We also reminded others that equipment or objects that belong to the state, or the local administration, are not used like official cars, and must not allow official cars to be used for going home or personal interests," he said.

Previously, he stated that officials who reported receipt of gratuities were free from criminal charges, as explained in Article 12B of Law Number 20 Year 2001 concerning Corruption Crimes.

"That is in the form of life imprisonment or imprisonment for a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 20 years and a fine of at least Rp200 million to a maximum of Rp1 billion," Febri said.

However, he added, if the report of gratuities was only delivered after the legal process of investigation, the KPK could not follow up on the report and submit it to the legal investigations that was running, noting that the best course of action was to reject gratuities from the start.

Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Sri Haryati
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