KPK confirms restoration of Rp 152 trillion in state funds

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confirmed that since 2003 it had managed to recover up to Rp 152 trillion (US$17 billion) in state funds from foreign companies in the oil and gas sector.

“Yes, the KPK has returned assets and money worth Rp 152 trillion from the oil and gas sector to state coffers,” KPK deputy chairman Haryono Umar said Friday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said that the country was vulnerable to huge losses in the oil and gas sector due to a lack of clarity in the government’s methods of recording data related to assets in the sector.

“This is very dangerous. There has been no accounting of state assets in the oil and gas sector,” he said.

Haryono added that the commission had reported the return of funds to the House of Representatives and also asked legislators to urge the government to begin recording the country’s assets and finance options in each particular sector.

The KPK explained that many of the state’s unrecorded assets, such as helicopters, cars, land and houses were often used by foreign companies.