KPK Monitors Controversy Over East Kalimantan Governor's 8.5 Billion Rupiah Official Vehicle Budget, Issues Warning
Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is monitoring the widely publicised controversy surrounding East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud’s official vehicle procurement budget, which has reached 8.5 billion rupiah. The KPK has issued warnings that procurement of goods and services must comply with their intended purpose.
“It has indeed received considerable attention on social media and we are following the reporting. In the context of regional spending, thorough planning must be conducted, in accordance with requirements, and crucially, the procurement process must be correct,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo in a statement posted on the KPK’s Instagram account.
According to Budi, procurement of goods and services frequently becomes an avenue for corrupt practices. Perpetrators of corruption deliberately seek loopholes to gain profits in this area.
“Price manipulation, specification downgrades, mark-ups—all of these must be carefully examined. All mechanisms should be implemented properly,” he said.
“Regarding need assessment, goods and services procured—whether by ministries, institutions, or regional governments—must genuinely align with actual requirements. We must not have situations where need A is met with purchase B. This misalignment often creates problems,” he explained.
Budi stated that the KPK, through its coordination and supervision functions, monitors official vehicle procurement for state officials. The KPK has identified instances where former officials have engaged in misconduct by failing to return official vehicles after leaving office.
“However, based on data we have obtained, many official vehicles remain controlled by former officials and have not been returned to regional governments. This represents potential regional financial losses and possible corruption offences. This requires careful attention,” he said.
The KPK has called on all parties to jointly conduct oversight and prevent corruption. Budi requested that the public report any irregularities, whether in procurement of goods and services or other matters.
“The KPK always invites the public to participate, as those present at the field level are our partners. If you discover any suspected irregularities in budget management, including procurement of goods and services or the use of official vehicles, please report to the KPK or other law enforcement agencies,” he stated.
Previously, East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud responded to questions about the 8.5 billion rupiah budget for official vehicle procurement. He stated that the procurement was conducted according to regulations and to maintain East Kalimantan’s prestige.
The issue of the 8.5 billion rupiah budget was initially explained by East Kalimantan’s Regional Secretary, Sri Wahyuni. She stated that the procurement plan had undergone careful consideration based on operational needs and the effectiveness of the regional head’s work.
She noted that the operational vehicles are intended to reach areas of East Kalimantan with extreme geographical characteristics. She explained that the governor’s official vehicle must be capable of traversing the difficult terrain found in East Kalimantan.
“The Governor is committed to directly monitoring every issue in remote areas. For example, during a visit to Bongan, he wanted to personally see the road conditions that residents complained about. To reach critical points with such challenging terrain, a reliable and representative vehicle is required,” said Sri Wahyuni.