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State audit agency draws ire for allegedly covering up irregularities
The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) is facing public scrutiny following recent allegations that some of its officials had asked for bribes to help cover up irregularities in several government projects.
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Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) member Achsanul Qosasi (center) is escorted out of the Attorney General's Office (AGO) headquarters on Nov. 3, 2023, after investigators arrested him. The AGO alleges that he received Rp 40 billion (US$2.5 million) in kickbacks pertaining to the botched procurement for the 4G telephony project. (Antara/Galih Pradipta)
T
he Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) faces public scrutiny following recent allegations that some of its officials asked for bribes to help cover up irregularities in several government projects.
These allegations came to light following witness testimonies in several trials at the Jakarta Corruption Court, the latest of which was held on Tuesday and pertained to alleged corruption in the construction of the Jakarta-Cikampek II/Muhammad Bin Zayed (MBZ) elevated toll road in West Java.
From the witness stand, Sugiharto, operations director at Waskita Beton Precast (WSBP), a subsidiary of state-owned construction firm Waskita Karya, said his ranks had bribed ther BPK with Rp 10.5 billion (US$657,709) after the audit agency discovered numerous problems with the project’s finances.
Sugiharto said that his ranks had commissioned a number of fictitious projects to make it seem like the hush money was instead used in the maintenance of the elevated toll road. The graft case is estimated to cost the state Rp 510 billion in losses.
A witness in a different corruption trial against former agriculture minister NasDem Party politician Syahrul Yasin Limpo earlier this month also revealed that a BPK auditor had asked for Rp 12 billion in exchange for an unqualified opinion – the best audit result government bodies can get from the BPK.
The testimony was made in a trial on May 8 by witness Hermanto, who is the secretary of agriculture infrastructure and facilities directorate general. He said the ministry eventually gave the BPK Rp 5 billion instead.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which investigated the case and brought Syahrul to court, will now probe the BPK’s ranks further following Hermanto’s court testimony, KPK spokesperson Ali Fikri said shortly after the trial, Kompas reported.
