Isvie Remains Silent on Alleged Money Distribution in NTB DPRD: Doesn't Want to Make a Wrong Move
The Chair of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) DPRD, Baiq Isvie Rupaeda, admitted to choosing silence upon learning of allegations of money distribution within the NTB DPRD. She took this stance because she feared making a wrong move in addressing the issue.
Isvie conveyed this during her testimony in the gratification case ensnaring three NTB DPRD members at the Mataram Corruption Court (Tipikor), on Thursday (16/4/2026).
Isvie testified for the defendants Hamdan Kasim, Indra Jaya Usman, and Muhammad Nashib Ikroman alias Acip. The Golkar Party politician said she learned of the money distribution in the NTB DPRD after being approached by NTB DPRD member Lalu Arif Rahman Hakim.
“I learned about the money distribution starting from Mr Arif, who told me that Bram (Abdul Rahim, an NTB DPRD member) did not want to accept the money. He said the money was to be given by Mr Suhaimi (an NTB DPRD member). Bram did not want the money, only the programme,” she stated in the courtroom on Thursday (16/4/2026).
She said that at the time, no NTB DPRD members admitted to receiving money. Instead, several council members claimed they did not receive money or the Desa Berdaya programme, which originated from a directive by NTB Governor Lalu Muhammad Iqbal.
The NTB DPRD members who claimed not to have received money or the programme were Megawati Lestari from the Golkar Party, Nadirah from the PBB, and Nanik Suryatiningsih from the Gerindra Party. “That’s all I know; I don’t know about the others. No one told me (about receiving money). I only learned from the media,” she said.
The prosecutor then read out the examination record (BAP) of Baiq Isvie from the investigation. In the BAP, Isvie mentioned hearing rumours circulating in the DPRD NTB office regarding Hamdan Kasim, Indra Jaya Usman, and Muhammad Nashib Ikroman alias Acip who were allegedly distributing money. However, she claimed she never witnessed the incident directly.
She also heard rumours that the distributed money was related to the NTB Governor’s programme given to newly elected NTB DPRD members for the 2024-2029 period. The rumour once caused a commotion in the NTB DPRD office.
In addition, Isvie acknowledged that several NTB DPRD members did not receive the programme or money. Meanwhile, the only one known to have received money was Lalu Arif Rahman Hakim.
Isvie said she learned that Lalu Arif Rahman Hakim received money from his own admission. “He came straight to my house and told me about it. So, one day he came to my house. He told me that he had received Rp 200 million from IJU (Indra Jaya Usman). He wanted to return it, but couldn’t contact Mr IJU,” she revealed.
Not Daring to Intervene
The NTB DPRD Chair since 2016 emphasised that she did not comment much on the story because she feared making a wrong move.
“I didn’t comment on anything; I just stayed silent. Because if I said to return it, I’d be wrong. If I said not to return it, I’d be wrong. I just stayed silent. I couldn’t. If I said anything, it would cause problems,” she said.
Although serving as chair, Isvie admitted she was initially not brave enough to get involved in the matter. She only once suggested to the Chair of DPD I Golkar Party NTB, Mohan Roliskana, that Golkar faction NTB DPRD members who received money should return it.
That suggestion was initially supported, including by the Secretary of DPD I Golkar Party NTB, Firadz Pariska. However, the support did not last long. Firadz then asked Isvie not to get involved.
“He (Firadz Pariska) said ‘Madam Chair, don’t get involved in this; no Golkar friends received it. Just stay silent. No need to get involved; otherwise, Madam Chair will be thought to be stirring things up.’ So in the end, I stayed silent,” she stated.