This is a form of our seriousness and the full support of the Ministry of Social Affairs in the efforts to eradicate corruptionJakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Social Affairs will open for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) widely to investigate the alleged corruption case of social assistance funds that dragged Social Affairs Minister Juliari P Batubara.
"This is a form of our seriousness and the full support of the Ministry of Social Affairs in the efforts to eradicate corruption," the Secretary General of the Social Affairs Ministry Hartono Laras said here on Sunday, during an online press conference.
The Ministry of Social Affairs, he said, expressed readiness to provide the information needed by the KPK.
Hartono personally admitted that he was shocked about the arrest of a number of Ministry of Social Affairs officials regarding the alleged corruption of social assistance funds for residents of the Greater Jakrta area affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The anti-graft agency named Batubara a suspect in the alleged bribery case concerning the COVID-19 social aid program for the Greater (Jabodetabek) area.
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"KPK has named five suspects, namely JPB (Juliari Peter Batubara), MJS (Matheus Joko Santoso), and AW (Adi Wahyono) as recipients of the bribe, and AIM (Ardian IM) and HS (Harry Sidabuke) as providers of the bribe," KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri said here on Saturday (5/12) night.
From red-handed operation (OTT) on Saturday, December 5, in several places in Jakarta, KPK officers secured money amounting some Rp14.5 billion in various currency denominations, comprising around Rp11.9 billion, US$ 171.085 (equivalent to Rp2.4 billion) and about 23,000 Singapore dollars (equivalent to Rp243 million).
Juliari Batubara was reportedly out of town when KPK carried out the operation.
KPK suspected MJS collected Rp12 billion in kickbacks, some Rp8.2 billion of which he gave to Juliari Batubara via AW, during the implementation of the first period of the basic food assistance package program.
The money was then managed by EK (Eko) and SH (Shelvy N) as Juliari's trusted people to be used to pay for his various personal needs.
For the second period of the implementation of the basic food assistance program, fee money was collected from October 2020 to December 2020, amounting to around Rp8.8 billion, which is also suspected of being used for the minister's personal needs.
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Translator: M Zulfikar, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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