PKB East Java Breaks Silence After Magetan DPRD Chairman Named Corruption Suspect
The Regional Leadership Council (DPW) of the National Awakening Party (PKB) East Java has finally spoken out in response to the designation of the Magetan PKB chapter chairman and simultaneously the Magetan DPRD chairman, Suratno, as a suspect.
Suratno was previously designated as one of the suspects in an alleged corruption case involving grant funds for the Main Ideas programme (Pokir), estimated to have caused state losses of up to Rp242 billion.
Secretary of the DPW PKB East Java, Multazamudz Dzikri alias Azam, stated that the party is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding its cadre.
He emphasised that PKB East Java will continue to prioritise a cooperative stance and respect the authority of law enforcement in investigating this case.
“We are studying the case and also respecting the ongoing process,” Azam said when confirmed by CNNIndonesia.com on Friday (24/4).
Furthermore, Azam explained that the DPW PKB East Java will soon establish communication with Suratno’s legal advisors. This is being done to map out the extent of the legal proceedings that have been undergone during the investigation up to the prosecution phase.
“We will coordinate with Mr Ratno’s legal team regarding the processes that have been followed over time,” he said.
Regarding Suratno’s membership status in the party, PKB East Java is not rushing to make a dismissal decision. The party is still waiting for further developments in the case before determining the organisation’s official stance towards the Magetan PKB chapter chairman.
“Regarding the cadre’s status, we’ll wait for the process first,” he said.
Although Suratno has only recently been designated as a suspect, Azam said that legal assistance has actually been provided by PKB East Java since Suratno was first summoned as a witness in this case.
“From what I heard, the summons letter as a witness, since then we have provided legal assistance to the individual,” he concluded.
Previously, the Magetan District Prosecutor’s Office officially designated the Magetan DPRD Chairman Suratno as a suspect in the alleged corruption case of grant funds for the Main Ideas programme (Pokir) for the 2020-2024 fiscal year amounting to Rp242 billion.
Head of the Magetan Prosecutor’s Office, Sabrul Iman, said that the designation of the suspect was carried out after investigators examined dozens of witnesses and analysed hundreds of documents related to the DPRD Magetan’s Pokir grants. The results found a pattern of deviant budget management starting from the planning stage.
Suratno was designated as a suspect along with five others, namely JML, a member of the Magetan DPRD for the 2019-2024 and 2024-2029 periods, JMT, a member of the Magetan DPRD for the 2019-2024 and 2024-2029 periods. Then AN, TH, and ST as DPRD Magetan support staff.
“Based on the results of the investigation and valid evidence, we have designated six people as suspects in the alleged criminal act of corruption of Pokir grant funds for the DPRD,” said Sabrul Iman on Thursday night (23/4).
The Pokir grant funds at the centre of this case come from the Magetan Regional Budget for the 2020-2024 period, with a total budget of Rp335.8 billion, while the realisation was Rp242.9 billion.