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KPK targets Golkar lawmaker in kickback case

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned on Wednesday Golkar politician Budi Supriyanto, a member of House of Representatives Commission V overseeing infrastructure, for his alleged role in a bribery scheme involving fellow lawmaker Damayanti Wisnu Putranti

Haeril Halim and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, January 28, 2016

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KPK targets Golkar lawmaker in kickback case

T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned on Wednesday Golkar politician Budi Supriyanto, a member of House of Representatives Commission V overseeing infrastructure, for his alleged role in a bribery scheme involving fellow lawmaker Damayanti Wisnu Putranti.

KPK investigators have alleged that Budi received S$404,000 (US$283,000) from a businessman who wanted to secure a construction project in Maluku.

Investigators earlier arrested Damayanti, a politician from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) for accepting S$99,000 from the businessman, identified as Abdul Khoir. Abdul is the CEO of construction firm PT Windhu Tunggal Utama (WTU).

For 2016, the House has earmarked around Rp 1.4 trillion to fund several infrastructure projects in the Maluku and North Maluku provinces, some of which are being targeted by Abdul.

After an eight-hour questioning on Wednesday, Budi denied received money from Abdul.

'€œNo, I did not [receive] any money,'€ Budi told reporters at the headquarters of the KPK.

The KPK raided Budi'€™s office at the House compound last week. The raid was soon followed by the issuance of a travel ban, raising speculations that he would soon be named a suspect in the case.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha refused to disclose details about Budi'€™s role in the case, saying that the lawmaker was questioned on Wednesday as a witness for Abdul.

Abdul'€™s lawyer Haeruddin Massaro confirmed that his client had prepared billions of rupiahs to bribe '€œa number of parties'€ to secure the Maluku project.

Haerudin said, however, that his client did not want to participate in bribery.

'€œMy client just followed a path regularly taken by others in getting government projects. If you go to a local traditional market, it is usually vendors who first make offers before a buyer says a word about what he wants to buy. That'€™s the analogy,'€ said Haerudin.

Haeruddin did not confirm or deny the existence of the $404,000 that his client had allegedly funneled to Budi.

On Tuesday, Damayanti filed a proposal to become a justice collaborator to expose other bribe-takers in the case.

KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo said that the KPK would look into Damayanti'€™s request to work as a justice collaborator.

'€œShe has requested [to become a justice collaborator] and we'€™ve received the letter. However, we need time to evaluate her behavior during the investigation and we will not make a decision until her trial,'€ Agus said.

Separately, lawmakers sought clarification on the KPK'€™s decision to involve members of the National Police mobile brigade (Brimob) when raiding the offices of Damayanti, Budi and Yudi Widiana of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) last week.

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