KPK summons BUMN deputy minister as witness

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned State Enterprises deputy minister Mahmudin Yasin on Monday as witness in an alleged graft case surrounding the sale of land assets belonging to PT Barata Indonesia.

“We need to confirm a few things with him,” KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said Monday as quoted by kompas.com. He added the KPK was also was also investigating whether Mahmudin played a role in the case.

As of Monday, the commission had named the company’s human resources and finance director, Mahyuddin Harahap, as a suspect.

The alleged graft took place in 2004 when Mahyuddin is said to have reduced the sale price of the company’s land asset in Surabaya, East Java. The land was supposed to be worth Rp 132 billion (US$14.5 million), but was sold for only Rp 82 billion. The sale is thus said to have inflicted losses of up to Rp 40 billion on state.