East Java Provincial Government Provides Legal Assistance to ESDM Officials Suspected of Extortion
The East Java Provincial Government (Pemprov Jatim) has assured that it will provide legal assistance to officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Office (Dinas ESDM) of East Java who have been designated as suspects in a case of alleged corruption involving extortion (pungli) in mining permits.
The Provincial Secretary (Sekdaprov) of East Java, Adhy Karyono, stated that the provincial government has instructed a team of lawyers to accompany the suspects as well as their families.
“First, for this case, we leave it entirely to the Head of the High Prosecutor’s Office [Kajati of East Java], and we have assigned—from our side—lawyers to accompany them, as well as their families. Insyaallah, they are proceeding according to procedure,” said Adhy at the Negara Grahadi Building in Surabaya on Friday (24/4).
According to Adhy, this step is taken as a form of organisational responsibility towards civil servants (ASN) who are entangled in legal issues, as well as to ensure that the upcoming trial process runs objectively.
“Yes, so that there is justice and objectivity like that. Because, after all, the responsibility is there—our colleagues in ESDM must also receive their rights to protection,” he said.
In addition to providing legal aid, the East Java Provincial Government is also highlighting the psychological condition of the ESDM Office leaders in East Java who are caught up in the case.
Adhy mentioned that this accompaniment also serves as a bridge for communication to facilitate the data needs required during the ongoing legal process.
“Yes, everyone is certainly in a somewhat difficult condition, down and so on. But also so that communication with them can be maintained and what their needs are. Perhaps they need certain data. We cannot intervene directly,” said Adhy.
“Because of the regulations. Let the lawyers handle it. We are here to lighten the burden, their condition, the family and so on. That’s all,” he added.
19 ASN and honorary staff return extortion funds
Meanwhile, regarding the 19 civil servants (ASN) and honorary staff suspected of receiving extortion fund flows over the past two years amounting to Rp707 million, Adhy stated that his side, through the Regional Personnel Agency (BKD) and the Acting Head (Plt) of the ESDM Office, is conducting special guidance.
He acknowledged the alleged disruption to integrity in the permitting service system.
Currently, a total evaluation of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and mechanisms at the One-Stop Integrated Service (PTSP) is being carried out to prevent similar corruption loopholes from recurring.
Regarding the money received by the 19 ESDM Office staff, Adhy assured that the funds have been handed over to the prosecutor’s office as part of the ongoing law enforcement process.
“Yes, of course, that becomes our note, that in the previous service process, there was indeed some disruption to integrity, of course we will assign. We are already assigning the Plt to provide guidance and so on. Also BKD,” he said.
As many as 19 staff from the Mining Sector of the East Java Provincial ESDM Office are also suspected of receiving flows of extortion funds from mining and groundwater permits.
These 19 employees are staff in the Mining Sector of the East Java ESDM Office. They hold ASN and honorary staff status.
Based on examination results, the money was distributed under the instructions of the Head of the East Java ESDM Office, Aris Mukiyono, who has become a suspect in this extortion case. These 19 individuals are subordinates of the suspect, Head of the Mining Sector of the ESDM Office, Ony Setiawan.
Over the past two years, these 19 staff members received at least Rp750,000 to Rp2.5 million in extortion money per month, depending on their roles and positions.
Gradually, these 19 staff members have returned a total of Rp707 million in cash from the extortion distribution. Nevertheless, their legal status remains as witnesses in this case.
Previously, the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office officially named three officials from the Energy and Mineral Resources Office (ESDM) of East Java Province as suspects in the alleged extortion (pungli) case for permits. In this case, investigators seized evidence of cash and bank account balances totalling Rp2.3 billion.
The three suspects are the Head of the East Java ESDM Office, Aris Mukiyono; the Head of the Mining Sector, Ony Setiawan; and the Chair of the Groundwater Business Working Team with initials H. All three were immediately detained for investigation purposes.
“We conducted the investigation quietly. Yes, we carried out the investigation silently. Since 14 [April], we have been conducting this investigation based on public complaints from permit applicants,” said the Assistant Special Criminal Prosecutor (Aspidsus) of the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office, Wagiyo, on Friday (17/4).
“We proceeded after finding evidence of a criminal incident, and we already had initial evidence of alleged corruption in the permit issuance process at the East Java Provincial Energy ESDM Office,” he added.