House to summon minister over Koran graft controversy

House of Representatives Commission VIII members overseeing religious affairs said on Friday that they would soon summon Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali over a recent graft allegation controversy involving the procurement of Korans.

“We will soon arrange a meeting with Religious Affairs Ministry officials, including with the minister himself, so they can present us with their clarification of the ongoing furor,” Abdul Hakim of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) told The Jakarta Post.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named House commission member Zulkarnaen Djabar of the Golkar Party, as well as his son Dendi Prasetya, suspects in three cases, including the Koran procurement bribery case in 2011 and 2012, and a computer procurement project in 2011.

The two have allegedly caused state losses of approximately Rp54.4 billion (US$5.76 million).

KPK chief Abraham Samad said earlier that Zulkarnaen rigged the procurement by giving orders to the ministry’s directorate general for Islamic community affairs to appoint certain companies to win the project tenders.

Abraham said that the companies involved in the billion rupiah projects included PT KSAI, which is owned by Zulkarnaen, PT BKM and PT A3I. (asa/mtq)