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BREAKING: House Deputy Speaker Taufik Kurniawan named bribery suspect
The antigraft body suspects Taufik accepted at least Rp 3.65 billion (US$239,764), part of the 5 percent “commitment fee” promised by then Kebumen regent Muhamad Yahya Fuad after the latter’s appointment in 2016.
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Breaking News (TJP/File)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Taufik Kurniawan a suspect in a graft case surrounding the deliberation of the regional budget of Kebumen in Central Java, making him the second House leaders implicated in corruption.
“TK is suspected of accepting bribes pertaining to the allocation of special allocation funds [DAK] in the revision of the 2016 state budget,” KPK deputy chairwoman Basaria Panjaitan said during a press briefing on Tuesday, referring to Taufik by his initials.
The antigraft body suspects Taufik accepted at least Rp 3.65 billion (US$239,764), part of the 5 percent “commitment fee” promised by Kebumen regent Muhamad Yahya Fuad after the latter’s appointment in 2016. Yahya has since been found guilty of corruption in relation to the case.
The regency eventually obtained around Rp 93.37 billion, which, it was planned, would be used for the construction of roads and bridges in the regency.
Taufik is House deputy speaker in charge of Commission IX overseeing finance and banking. He also oversees the budget committee as the coordinator for economics and finance. The committee itself is tasked with discussing the state budget allocation with the government, including allocations for regions, among other things.
He is the second House leaders that have been accused with corruption during President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo administration after former House speaker and Golkar Party politician Setya Novanto was found guilty of taking bribes in electronic ID (e-ID) project.
The KPK had previously requested the immigration authorities to issue a travel ban for Taufik in order to prevent him from leaving the country, as confirmed by the Immigration Directorate General.
During Tuesday’s press briefing, the antigraft body named Kebumen regional council speaker Cipto Waluyo a suspect for allegedly accepting bribes of at least Rp 50 million relating to the regency’s budget in the 2015-2016 fiscal year. (wit)
