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Lawmakers doubt system error claims in Harun escape
Amid suspicions of layers of cover-up in a bribery case implicating Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Harun Masiku, lawmakers have questioned a recent investigation finding that claims a system error had caused false information leading to failed attempts to arrest the suspect
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mid suspicions of layers of cover-up in a bribery case implicating Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Harun Masiku, lawmakers have questioned a recent investigation finding that claims a system error had caused false information leading to failed attempts to arrest the suspect.
A team tasked with investigating the false information released by immigration authorities said a system glitch had produced the false record that the suspect was in Singapore while he was in the country at that time.
The team — which consists of the National Police, the Communications and Information Ministry and the National Cyber and Encryption Agency — found that the error caused the central server of the immigration management information system (SIMKIM) to not receive more than 120,000 pieces of immigration data from Dec. 23, 2019 to Jan. 10.
Democratic Party lawmaker Benny K. Harman, who sits on House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, doubts the system error and authorities’ claims of not being able to track Harun.
“In today’s age [digital era], it's hard to believe that Harun has ran away or is in hiding. Someone is hiding him because there is an interest here. After all, Harun is connected to the KPU [General Elections Commission] bribery case,” he said.
He added that the results of the investigation in the immigration office were also not convincing.
"The investigative team has been used to justify [Law and Human Rights Minister] Yasonna Laoly’s alibi [for Harun’s escape]. From the beginning, I had suspected that the team was formed only to justify his alibi,” said Benny.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Harun a suspect for allegedly bribing KPU member Wahyu Setiawan Rp 600 million (US$43,950) in the hope of securing a seat at the House.
The case has dragged the PDI-P, the ruling party in the government coalition, because the party had forced Harun’s nomination on the poll body right before the alleged bribery was discovered. The party had filed a petition with the Supreme Court, which later produced a ruling to support Harun’s nomination.
The KPK was denied entry to the party headquarters when it had attempted a search. The PDI-P argued that the antigraft agency had not obtained the necessary permits. An investigator and a prosecutor from the KPK that had been in charge of the case were later dismissed.
Yasonna, who is a party member, was earlier accused of covering up the case after the Immigration Directorate General, which he oversees, released information that Harun had fled to Singapore when the case emerged.
It was later discovered that Harun had departed for Singapore on Jan. 6 and returned to Indonesia on Jan. 7 before the KPK named him a suspect the following day.
The revelation triggered the dismissal of Ronnie Sompie, the immigration director general, and the formation of the special team to probe the cause of the misinformation.
The investigative team’s spokesperson, who is also the Communications and Information Ministry’s head of investigations, Syofian Kurniawan, said there had been a configuration error in the SIMKIM, which at the critical time, was being updated.
“The vendor forgot to synchronize and connect data when updating the system,” Syofian said.
He said Yasonna had ordered a system update in May 2018, which was proven by a disposition letter issued by the minister.
“The team had examined Batik Air’s flight record, CCTV recording and immigration counter PC’s data log at Terminal 2F of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the local server at Terminal 3, immigration data from the central server and had asked relevant parties in investigating the case,” said Syofian.
He added that the team had tried to confirm Harun’s arrival with a local immigration officer but they were not able to remember as it had served many immigration crossing requests that day.
Therefore, he said, the team had recommended improvement of the data synchronization system at the office.
Taufik Basari, a lawmaker from the NasDem Party, said many loopholes were found in the government’s claims. He questioned the presence of Harun at Terminal 2F, according to the system’s records, when in fact Harun was at Terminal 3.
“Did he know that there was a problem at Terminal 2F? So he changed his schedule and the airline? Who helped him?” said Taufik. (mfp)
