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Bappenas chairman reported to KPK for allegedly receiving gratuity
National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) chairman Suharso Monoarfa has been reported to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly accepting a gratuity.
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The chairman of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Suharso Monoarfa brief reporters following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (Mou) between PT Indonesia Mecca Tower and Bayarind Artha Nusa Internusa in Jakarta on Feb. 10. (JP/ydp)
National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) chairman Suharso Monoarfa has been reported to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly accepting a gratuity.
The KPK’s acting spokesman, Ali Fikri, confirmed that the KPK had received the report on Thursday.
“After we checked the information, we can confirm that the information is correct,” Ali said on Friday.
Ali said the KPK would study every report filed by members of the public and verify the data. Should the KPK find any indication of a crime, the commission will resort to the prevailing laws in dealing with the case, he said.
“If the investigation shows an indication of crime, it is possible that the KPK will take legal action,” Ali said.
Suharso is currently the acting chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), one of the political parties in President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ruling coalition.
PPP secretary-general Arsul Sani said that a PPP member, Nizar Dahlan, had filed the report against Suharso.
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Nizar accused Suharso of receiving a gratuity after the PPP acting chairman allegedly used a chartered private jet during a visit to Aceh and Medan in North Sumatra, according to media reports.
Arsul said that Nizar did not understand the scope of a gratuity stipulated under Article 12b of the 2001 Corruption Law prohibiting civil servants or state officials from receiving gratuities -- which according to the law include money, goods, free travel or accommodation.
According to Arsul, he and Suharso boarded the plane in their capacity as PPP politicians, not as a House of Representatives member or as a minister, respectively. "It is not a gratuity as referred to in Article 12b of the Corruption Law," he said.
He said they boarded the plane outside their schedules as public officials as it was during an event to disseminate information regarding the upcoming PPP national meeting (muktamar) in several regions.
The politicians wore PPP uniforms while on board the plane and also paid the costs of the flight, including the fuel and remuneration for the plane's crew, Arsul said.
He called the report baseless. "Nizar Dahlan has only made things up with this gratuity report," Arsul said as quoted by kompas.com. (dpk)
