I have instructed the Head of the Crime Investigation Unit (Kabareskrim) to establish a joint teamJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Police will establish a joint team to investigate the alleged graft case implicating state insurer and pension fund for the military, police, and defense ministry PT Asuransi Sosial Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia (Asabri).
"I have instructed the head of the Crime Investigation Unit (Kabareskrim) to establish a joint team," Indonesian Police Chief Gen. Idham Azis stated here on Friday.
Azis noted that the joint team will comprise the Indonesian Police's Directorate of Corruption and Jakarta Police's Directorate of Special Crime Investigation to investigate the graft case that resulted in potential state losses to the tune of Rp10 trillion to Rp16 trillion.
"We have just entered the verification phase in the investigation. Of course, we will observe the progress. This will be handled by the team led by the head of the Police's Crime Investigation Unit," he remarked.
Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD had called on the public to entrust the investigation of the Asabri graft case to the police.
"This is since of the total 940-980 thousand clients of Asabri, 600 thousand are police officers," Mahfud stated.
Hence, he remarked that the Indonesian Police will have the moral responsibility to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the case.
Mahfud believes that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should not be involved in the investigation once the police begins handling the case to avoid any type of overlapping.
"If it is handled by the police, then the KPK could not investigate the case. It is stipulated in the law that a corruption case, under the investigation of the KPK, could not be handled at the same time by the police or prosecutor office whereas a case handled by the police could not (be handled) by the KPK," he explained.
Asabri grabbed attention as its stock portfolio nosedived by over 95 percent last year. Some of the stocks in the insurer’s portfolio were deemed “low-quality stocks” by the State Audit Board. Related news: President stresses on reform in insurance industry, pension fund
Related news: Almost 35 percent informal sector workers have no health insurance
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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