Corruption Eradication Committee Asked to Investigate BPK Auditor Who Asked for IDR 12 Billion for Fair Opinion

Corruption Eradication Commission investigators were asked to present an intellectual auditor to the trial regarding the request for IDR 12 billion from the BPK auditor.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

The defendant, the former Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, left the courtroom during a break in the continuation of the trial of alleged extortion and acceptance of gratuities at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (6/5/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The revelation of the trial regarding alleged bribery from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Supreme Audit Agency or BPK in order to obtain an Unqualified Opinion or WTP has increasingly opened the eyes of the Indonesian people that financial audit institutions are vulnerable to corruption case.

The abuse of power and the buying and selling of opinions are rampant, especially due to the minimal supervision design, while the incentives from the WTP label obtained are much greater for budget increases. The Corruption Eradication Commission is urged to be more courageous in bringing its intellectual authors into the trial.

Transparency International Indonesia (TII) researcher, Alvin Nicola, when contacted on Thursday (9/5/2024), expressed his opinion that the proliferation of the WTP trade was due to minimal supervision design, while the incentive from the WTP label was much greater for budget increases. "The concerning situation at BPK today is not surprising, especially since the institutional design of this state audit institution has been held hostage to political interests from the beginning," said Alvin.

Previously, KPK also revealed the practice of buying and selling opinions during audits of financial statements involving Ali Sadli and Rochmadi Saptogiri as BPK auditors in May 2017. Both were arrested in a sting operation.

Both received bribes to provide a WTP opinion on the audit results report (LHP) on the Kemendesa PDTT Financial Report for the 2016 fiscal year. Ali Sadli was sentenced to 6 years in prison and Rohmadi was sentenced to 7 years in prison in March 2018.

The proliferation of WTP opinion trading occurs because the supervision design is minimal, while the incentives from the WTP label are much greater for budget increases.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana and Transparency International Indonesia (TII) researcher Alvin Nicola (right and left) were speakers in a public discussion entitled "Evaluation of KPK Performance 2015-2019" at the ICW office in Jakarta on Sunday (May 12, 2019).

Alvin is pushing for the internal supervision model to be strengthened. In addition, due to the central role of the BPK in eradicating corruption, it is appropriate to immediately revise Law Number 15 of 2006 concerning the BPK so that the selection process is carried out by an independent selection committee or one formed by the government.

During the examination hearing with the attendance of the official Hermanto, who is the Secretary of the Directorate General of Infrastructure, on Wednesday (May 8, 2024), it was revealed that there was a request for money from the BPK auditor to the Ministry of Agriculture for the 2022 report.

The worrying situation at the State Audit Agency (BPK) today is not surprising, especially because the institutional design of this national audit institution has been held hostage by political interests since the beginning.

In order for the Ministry of Agriculture to obtain a WTP opinion, BPK auditor named Victor Siahaan requested a sum of Rp 10 billion which was subordinate to auditor named Haerul Saleh. On another occasion, Viktor changed the request for money to Rp 12 billion.

From IDR 12 billion to IDR 5 billion

According to Hermanto, Viktor told him to convey the request for money to officials at the Ministry of Agriculture. Hermanto admitted to recommending communication with Muhammad Hatta, as the Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery, who is known to handle matters outside of the budget.

In the end, Hermanto heard that the BPK auditor's request was only fulfilled by Rp 5 billion, which came from the vendor who carried out the work in the Ministry of Agriculture. However, Hermanto admitted that he did not know the name of the vendor.

In connection with the alleged corruption case, the former minister of agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, has been charged with blackmail, withholding employee payments and receiving gratuities of up to IDR 44.5 billion. Syahrul allegedly committed this act from January 2020 to October 2023 together with former secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono and former director of agricultural tools and machinery Muhammad Hatta.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

The defendant, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, arrived in the courtroom to attend the continuation of the trial regarding the alleged extortion and acceptance of gratuities at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (6/5/2024).

Alvin continued by stating that with the trial facts that are currently attracting public attention, his party is pushing for the KPK to be more courageous in bringing in its intellectual authorities into the trial, including Syahrul's political circle and family, so that the evidence can be clarified.

"The involvement of BPK auditors is increasingly opening the eyes of the Indonesian public to the fact that financial audit institutions are vulnerable to corruption cases. This case should be a gateway to uncovering deeper efforts to undermine and politicize BPK," he said.

BPK members must be pursued

Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community Coordinator, Boyamin Saiman, has requested that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summons Viktor to the trial as a witness. By summoning Viktor to the trial, it may reveal up to the level of the BPK member who oversees Viktor.

"The case of money demand from BPK (Indonesia's Audit Board) has to be pursued. When Viktor is presented, it can also serve as a confrontation of the previous witness statements. Thus, the judge can assess who is lying and who is telling the truth," said Boyamin.

KOMPAS/EMANUEL EDI SAPUTRA

Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri at a press conference at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Friday (10/11/2023).

The auditor from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has never been examined in the investigation of alleged corruption case in the Ministry of Agriculture because this fact only recently emerged during the trial.

Head of KPK News Section Ali Fikri stated that the BPK auditor has never been investigated in the corruption case at the Ministry of Agriculture because this fact only emerged during the trial. There are some new findings from the testimony of witnesses that have been revealed in the trial process.

Also read: Syahrul Yasin Limpo's Shopping List Allegedly Used the Ministry of Agriculture's Budget

Therefore, Ali believes that it is highly possible for the investigation team to also call on the names that surfaced during the trial to further investigate the money trail. The alleged corruption case in the Ministry of Agriculture is still ongoing, especially for the investigation of money laundering crimes.

"So, wait until there is a TPPU investigation process or trial. Of course, the investigator summons anyone who has been mentioned in the trial. "The prosecutor will confirm it again in the trial process," said Ali (Kompas.id,8/5/2024).