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Analysis: NasDem in the spotlight yet again over graft allegations
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Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo arrives at the State Palace on Tuesday. (JP/Donny Fernando)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) grilled Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo on Monday in connection with various graft cases plaguing the ministry. The questioning came just after another NasDem Party politician-cum-minister, Johnny G. Plate, was named corruption suspect, dealing the party a major blow ahead of the 2024 elections.
KPK investigators also summoned the Agriculture Ministry’s secretary-general Kasdi Subagyono and agricultural machinery director Muhammad Hatta for questioning. Hatta has long been known as Syahrul’s confidant and previously worked at the South Sulawesi administration when Syahrul was the governor. KPK spokesman Ali Fikri said the investigators had listed 30 people who would face the music regarding allegations of gratuity related to promotions in 2019-2023. A source from Tempo revealed that the gratuity was obtained by forging official travel orders (SPPD).
Corruption, whether small or large in scale, has detrimental effects on the functioning of the state. The KPK’s investigation into Syahrul has yet to reveal any graft-mired government programs or policies affecting the wider public, prompting critics to wonder if Syahrul was questioned as another dig at NasDem.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) recently declared Johnny, the former communication and information minister, a graft suspect in the alleged botched procurement of base transceiver stations (BTS) for a government 4G telephony project. The graft case reportedly caused Rp 8 trillion in state losses.
Syahrul has asked the public to refrain from jumping to a conclusion before the investigation into him, which many assume is politically charged, is concluded. But even if Syahrul escapes the KPK’s scythe, being summoned for questioning would be enough to taint NasDem’s electoral chances, including its nomination of former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan for president.
Ever since NasDem announced last November its support for Anies’ presidential bid, the party has been struggling to maintain its foothold in the government coalition. Having teamed up with two opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), to form the Coalition of Change for Unity (KPP), other parties in the government coalition demanded NasDem’s ouster. This is why many assume that a Cabinet shake-up is imminent and that NasDem would lose all its Cabinet seats.
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analyst Noory Okthariza said graft allegations against NasDem’s ministers would also reflect poorly on the party’s commitments to corruption eradication, which would in turn cost them the legislative elections.
