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KPK grills PDI-P, Golkar, Democratic politicians in e-ID case
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Golkar Party politician Melchias Markus Mekeng leaves the Corruption Eradication Commission office on June 4 after being questioned as a witness in the ongoing investigation of graft in the e-ID project. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is intensifying its investigation into politicians in the rigged procurement of the e-ID project.
On Monday, the KPK was scheduled to question five former and current lawmakers as witnesses in relation to two suspects in the case, namely businessmen Made Oka Masagung and Irvanto Hendra Pambudi – the latter is also the nephew of ex-House of Representatives speaker and graft convict Setya Novanto.
The politicians were the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) Arif Wibowo, the Democratic Party’s Mirwan Amir and Khatibul Umam, as well as the Golkar Party’s Agun Gunanjar, Melchias Markus Mekeng and current House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo.
“We are clarifying the disbursement of illicit money from the case and the budgeting process [for the project]. We’re also clarifying testimony made in the trials of other suspects about the flow of funds to several lawmakers,” KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said.
All arrived to answer the summons except Bambang, who sent a letter explaining his absence from Monday’s questioning. “I asked for the questioning to be rescheduled because of my tight schedule in the House,” Bambang said on Monday according to a statement.
Febri confirmed the letter, adding “investigators will study the letter and reschedule the questioning for Bambang.”
The KPK named in March both businessmen as suspects in the e-ID case, which reportedly caused Rp 2.3 trillion (US$165 million) in state losses, for allegedly collecting sums of money that were eventually channeled to Setya, who has been convicted in the case. (evi)
