KPK names new suspect in KPU case<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned an
\nofficial at the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday for his alleged
\ninvolvement in a high-profile corruption case at the General
\nElections Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
Ishaq Harahap, a senior official at the ministry's Directorate
\nGeneral for Budgetary Affairs, showed up at the KPK building and
\nentered the interrogation room escorted by three investigators.<\/p>\n
Ishaq was declared as a supsect following the interrogation
\nand was immediately detained, KPK deputy chief Tumpak Panggabean
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ishaq, along with Sudji Darmono, another finance ministry
\nofficial who was recently arrested, is believed to have received
\nkickbacks from the KPU to ensure the ministry approved a higher
\nbudget allocation for the commission, particularly to provide
\nfunds for election officials around the country during the 2004
\npolls.<\/p>\n
Sudji was declared a suspect after being questioned last week.<\/p>\n
The two were interrogated after KPU treasurer Hamdani Amin,
\nwho is facing corruption charges, said recently that his deputy,
\nM. Dentjik, handed over a total of US$79,000 and Rp 342 million
\n($3,500) to officials at the Directorate General for Budgetary
\nAffairs.<\/p>\n
Corruption at the KPU came to the surface when commission
\nmember Mulyana W. Kusumah was caught in May by KPK officials
\nallegedly trying to bribe an official from the Supreme Audit
\nAgency to obtain a favorable audit result that would cover up
\ngraft at the KPU.<\/p>\n
These graft practices allegedly include the collection of
\nkickbacks from private companies winning contracts with the KPU
\nand the marking up of costs for the purchase of election
\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
One of the suspects claimed that almost every member of the
\nKPU received money from the kickbacks.<\/p>\n
A number of KPU members, including the chairman of the
\ncommission, have been detained and several are currently on
\ntrial.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin is scheduled to go on trial
\nnext week, while KPU members Dan Dimara and Rusadi were
\nquestioned on Monday.<\/p>\n
The head of the general affairs section at the KPU, Bambang
\nBudiarto, was questioned on Tuesday over alleged markups in the
\nprinting of election books, which may have caused Rp 17 billion
\nin state losses.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kpk-names-new-suspect-in-kpu-case-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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