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Govt lost billions in social aid distribution corruption scandal: KPK
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A worker carries bags of social aid on April 22 at the Gudang Food Station in Cipinang, Jakarta. (Antara/M Risyal Hidayat)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) estimates state losses of around Rp 125 billion (US$7.6 million) from a new corruption case it is investigating that centers around the distribution of food aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The case involves alleged foul play in the distribution of government-funded social aid (bansos) to people who were badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Greater Jakarta in 2020.
The social assistance program was under the Social Affairs Ministry but initiated by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, therefore lending his name to the program called “bansos president”.
“The initial estimate for losses is around Rp 125 billion, but we are still calculating it,” KPK spokesperson Tessa Mahardhika Sugiarto said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
The KPK opened the investigation recently after investigators found evidence from a 2023 probe into corruption in the distribution of rice to recipients of the government-funded social assistance Family Hope Program (PKH) from 2020 to 2021.
Read also: KPK questions ministry officials in social assistance graft case
KPK investigators on Tuesday named Ivo Wongkaren, an executive of a private company, a suspect in their investigation, and questioned several witnesses including two officials from the Social Affairs Ministry.
