Jakarta – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appointed Coordinating Minister for Human Advancement and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy as acting Minister of Social Affairs to replace Juliari Peter Batubara who was called a suspect by the Corruption Elimination Commission (KPK) over a bribery case concerning social assistance for people affected by COVID-19 effect.
” For the time being I will select the Coordinating Minister to carry out the responsibilities of the Minister of Social Affairs,” Jokowi said at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on Sunday.
The anti-graft company named Batubara a suspect for supposedly accepting bribes worth Rp17 billion as “fee” for procurement of standard food under a social assistance program for people impacted by COVID-19 impact in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) area.
KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri stated the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2020 was charged to obtain basic food packages worth Rp5.9 trillion under a total of 272 procurement contracts of the social assistance program carried in 2 period, for those affected by the COVID-19 impact.
During the first period of the social support program application, a cost amounting Rp12 billion was received, and Rp8.2 billion of it was given to Batubara by Matheus Joko Santoso, the ministry’s Head of Sub-Directorate for Social and Political Disaster Victim Management concurrently the Social Help Dedication Making Officer (PPK), via Adi Wahyono, the ministry’s General Affairs Bureau Head concurrently PPK.
The cash was then handled by Eko and Shelvy N, Batubara’s relied on individuals, to be used to pay for the minister’s personal requirements.
In the second period of the implementation of the basic food help program, ‘cost’ amounting Rp8.8 billion was collected from October 2020 to December2020 The money was also presumably utilized for Batubara’s personal requirements.
The total kickback that Juliari Batubara presumably received was worth Rp17 billion.
On Nov 25, 2020, KPK detained Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo and four other suspects over an alleged bribery case in authorization issuance for aquaculture and/or fishing organizations and marine products in 2020.
President Jokowi designated Minister of Farming Syahrul Yasin Limpo (and previously Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan) as acting Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister.
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