{ "success": true, "data": { "id": 1848185, "msgid": "ntb-governor-responds-after-electric-vehicle-project-reported-to-prosecutors-1783515137", "date": "2026-07-08 19:05:58", "title": "NTB Governor Responds After Electric Vehicle Project Reported to Prosecutors", "author": "", "source": "DETIK_BALI", "tags": "", "topic": "Legal", "summary": "West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal has defended the procurement of 72 electric vehicles after a public complaint triggered a corruption investigation by the High Prosecutor's Office. The governor insists all administrative procedures were followed, while his spokesperson confirmed the contract value was reduced from Rp14.7 billion to Rp12 billion following an emergency addendum. The case highlights scrutiny over a budget that reportedly surged from an initial Rp8.25 billion capital expenditure plan to a comprehensive leasing scheme.", "content": "

West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal has spoken out\nregarding a public complaint about irregularities in the provincial\ngovernment\u2019s lease of 72 electric vehicles for the 2026 fiscal year. The\nproject, worth tens of billions of rupiah, is currently under\ninvestigation by the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office. According to Iqbal,\nthe entire procurement process for the electric vehicles was conducted\nin accordance with valid administrative procedures. Iqbal responded\ncalmly and welcomed the legal process at the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s\nOffice to proceed. \u201cThe electric cars have been purchased, thank God,\nand have gone through procedures that are fully in accordance with the\nadministrative procedures that have been carried out. God willing, there\nare no undesirable matters in this electric car issue,\u201d Iqbal said in\nMataram on Wednesday. Iqbal considered the report to be the right of\nevery citizen. However, he guaranteed that the NTB Provincial Government\ndid not violate any regulations regarding the procurement of the\nelectric vehicles. \u201cPeople are allowed to report, but the important\nthing is that we have fulfilled all the procedures that were required.\nThe intention was good, the method was good, the objective was good,\nthat is it,\u201d he said. NTB Provincial Government Spokesperson Ahsanul\nKhalik confirmed that his party would be cooperative in facing the legal\nprocess at the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office. Nevertheless, he asked all\nparties not to rush to judge this policy before there is an official\nresult from the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office. \u201cWe hope that the process\nof handling this public report can proceed completely without being\ninfluenced by the formation of opinions that could potentially lead to a\ntrial by the press,\u201d he said. Ahsanul explained that the migration of\nofficial vehicles to battery-based electric vehicles is not a fictitious\nproject. This policy, he continued, is a direct instruction from the\ncentral government through Presidential Instruction Number 7 of 2022 and\nhas been included in the official NTB RPJMD 2025-2029 document. On the\nother hand, Ahsanul did not deny that there was a quite striking shift\nin figures during the budget preparation. In the draft 2026 Regional\nBudget, the NTB Provincial Government allocated a capital expenditure\nscheme of Rp8.25 billion. However, during the budget discussions, the\nscheme was completely changed to a vehicle lease service under the\npretext of long-term asset management efficiency. As a result of this\nlease scheme change, the budget allocation soared dramatically to Rp14.9\nbillion. After going through an e-purchasing process on the Electronic\nCatalogue and negotiations, the contract value was locked at Rp14.7\nbillion. \u201cThe contract is not just for the provision of vehicles, but\nfor a comprehensive lease service,\u201d he said. Ahsanul explained that the\nRp14.7 billion value covers the lease of 72 electric cars. The lease\nfacility is complete with tax, vehicle registration, risk insurance,\nmaintenance, spare parts, a replacement car in case of breakdown, and\ncharging installation. Interestingly, before the report surfaced at the\nHigh Prosecutor\u2019s Office, the NTB Provincial Government had apparently\nmade an emergency manoeuvre after consulting with the Inspectorate and\nthe NTB Representative Office of the Financial and Development\nSupervisory Agency. The NTB Provincial Government then made a rapid\ncontract addendum on 13 April 2026. The lease duration, which was\noriginally set at a full 12 months, was cut to just 9 months and 23\ndays. \u201cSo the contract value decreased from Rp14.7 billion to Rp12\nbillion. The payment mechanism for official vehicle charging facilities\nwas also changed from a flat system to one based on actual usage,\u201d added\nAhsanul, who is also the Head of the NTB Communication, Informatics and\nStatistics Office. Previously, the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office\ninvestigated the alleged corruption in the lease of electric cars within\nthe NTB Provincial Government worth Rp14 billion. The electric cars were\nused as official vehicles in various departments. The investigation was\nbased on a public report received by the NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office on\n2 June 2026. The NTB High Prosecutor\u2019s Office\u2019s Assistant for Special\nCrimes, Muh Zulkifli Said, did not deny the receipt of the report. \u201cYes,\nit has been received,\u201d Zulkifli said briefly on Tuesday. Information\ngathered indicates that several witnesses have been examined in\nconnection with the case, including the company involved in providing\nthe electric cars. However, Zulkifli declined to provide detailed\ncomments regarding the witness examination. He only stated that the\nreport is still being investigated and reviewed. \u201cWe are still\ninvestigating,\u201d he added.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ntb-governor-responds-after-electric-vehicle-project-reported-to-prosecutors-1783515137", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }