Bali Students Alliance Urges Prosecutors to Investigate Alleged Misappropriation of Recess Funds
The Bali Anti-Corruption Student Alliance has called on three law enforcement agencies – the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Attorney General’s Office, and the Indonesian National Police – to investigate the suspected misappropriation of recess funds by the Chairman of Commission II of the Bali Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD), Agung Bagus Pratiksa Linggih. The demand was conveyed by student demonstrators during simultaneous protests at the three institutions on Friday.
Action coordinator Irfansyah Rafsanjani said in a statement that the protest stemmed from the unrest and outrage of the Balinese people over the violation. He noted there were already many indications and allegations of misuse of recess funds by Agung in his capacity as Chairman of Commission II. ‘The misappropriation of recess funds by Agung Bagus Praktiksa Linggih as Chairman of Commission II of the Bali Provincial DPRD is not only a seizure of the people’s money, but also a seizure of the people’s right to voice their aspirations,’ Irfansyah said.
He stated that recess funds, which should be used for the purpose of absorbing public aspirations, had instead been misused for individual interests. According to him, this deviation constitutes a serious violation. Recess funds meant to support council members’ performance in absorbing the public’s concerns were instead used carelessly. ‘These recess funds should be fuel for absorbing the aspirations and concerns of the community. With the misappropriation committed by Agung Praktiksa, this truly betrays the people and even the state,’ he asserted.
Irfansyah also mentioned that Agung Bagus Praktiksa’s political career has not been entirely clean, noting he was once implicated in a corruption scandal involving the procurement of COVID-19 personal protective equipment at the Ministry of Health, which caused losses of Rp390 billion. Through their action, the students are urging the National Police, the KPK, and the Attorney General’s Office to seriously investigate the alleged misappropriation of recess funds and issued an ultimatum that if there is no follow-up to their demands within 3 x 24 hours, they will stage a larger and more massive protest.