DPR Urges BPK to Audit IDR 92.5 Billion Padlock Procurement at Directorate General of Corrections

A member of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Pangeran Khairul Saleh, has urged an open audit into the procurement of 106,000 padlocks by the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjenpas) under the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas). The audit is deemed urgent to ensure state budget transparency and to investigate suspected price mark-ups in a project that has drawn public scrutiny. Based on data from the General Procurement Plan (RUP) and the National Public Procurement Agency (LKPP) e-Catalogue, the total budget for padlock procurement over two fiscal years (2024–2025) reached approximately IDR 92.5 billion. In the 2024 fiscal year, IDR 35.8 billion was allocated for 46,000 padlock units across two stages. Meanwhile, for the 2025 fiscal year, the budget surged to IDR 56.7 billion for 60,000 units. Consequently, the average price per padlock unit rose from around IDR 778,000 in 2024 to IDR 945,000 in 2025. Pangeran stressed that Commission XIII would seriously exercise its oversight function regarding the use of public funds, particularly on expenditures that could raise public doubt. ‘If it is proven that there are unreasonable prices or indications of mark-up, Commission XIII will push for a procedural investigation based on data and facts. We ask the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, together with the Inspectorate General and the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK), to immediately disclose all procurement and contract documents so that the audit process can be carried out quickly, objectively, and transparently,’ Pangeran stated. The politician from the National Mandate Party (PAN) believes that an evidence-based examination is crucial to ensure accountability in budget management while providing legal certainty for all parties. He therefore requested that the audit be conducted thoroughly and its results made public. On the other hand, Pangeran urged the public and the media not to jump to conclusions before the official audit results are announced. He argued that the padlock procurement controversy should remain within the corridor of budget oversight and not be linked to other issues beyond the substance of the matter. ‘I remind everyone that this issue should not be dragged into other polemics such as the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme or the Koperasi Merah Putih. That will only confuse the public and add to the burden on the government, including the President,’ he said. Pangeran assessed that the large budget for correctional logistics, including padlocks, cannot be separated from the classic problem of overcrowding in correctional institutions (LPs) and state detention centres (rutans). ‘The issue of overcapacity must be the focus of reform because it directly impacts the need for security facilities and other operational expenditures,’ he noted. He believes that improving correctional governance and addressing overcrowding will help reduce inefficient spending needs in the future. The evaluation of procurement should not stop at document checks but must be followed by policy reforms targeting the root of the problem on the ground. As a follow-up measure, Pangeran requested that all similar padlock procurements be halted or temporarily suspended until the initial investigative audit is completed and its results are published. ‘Commission XIII will continue to monitor the development of this case and ensure that the entire process runs transparently, accountably, and proportionally,’ Pangeran concluded.