The East Kolaka regency government received Rp 39 billion from the BNPB to fund disaster mitigation in the regency. However, the East Kolaka regent allegedly embezzled money from the fund.
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NIKOLAUS HARBOWO/Saiful Rijal Yunus
·4 minutes read
KOMINFO SULTRA
East Kolaka Regent Andi Merya Nur, Monday (14/9/2021).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday evening arrested Andi Merya Nur, the regent of East Kolaka in Southeast Sulawesi, for corruption.
Merya, who has been regent for only three months, along with Anzarullah, the head of the East Kolaka Disaster Management Agency, were arrested for allegedly embezzling Rp 39 billion (US$2.78 million) from a fund distributed by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
Merya and Anzarullah were caught during a KPK operation on Tuesday night, along with four other people. They were Merya\'s husband, Mujeri Dachri, and three assistants Andi Yustika, Novriandi, and Muawiyah. In the early hours on Wednesday (9/22/2021), they were taken to the North Sulawesi Police headquarters for further questioning by investigators of the Southeast Sulawesi Police’s special crimes unit.
After gathering preliminary information and evidence, the KPK named Merya and Anzarullah as suspects of alleged corruption in connection with goods and services procurement at the East Kolaka regency administration this year. The KPK also seized Rp 225 million in cash in the course of the investigation.
KPK deputy Nurul Ghufron told a press conference on Wednesday night that Merya had been named as a suspect in the alleged embezzlement of funds disbursed by the BNPB, of which Rp 26.9 billion was allocated for rehabilitation and reconstruction and another Rp 12.1 billion allocated as reserve funds.
The case unfolded in March-August 2021, when Merya and Anzarullah submitted a funding proposal to the BNPB for financing the regency’s rehabilitation and reconstruction programs, as well as reserve funds for other mitigation programs.
In early September 2021, Merya and Anzarullah then visited the BNPB’s head office in Jakarta to deliver a presentation on logistics and procuring equipment in relation to their funding proposal.
Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan
East Kolaka Regent Andi Merya Nur (center) arrives at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Building, Jakarta, Eabu (22/9/2021).
Confidants
Following their presentation on the funding proposal, Anzarullah asked Merya to award several physical infrastructure projects to be financed by the BNPB fund to his confidants and other parties who had helped ensure that the BNPB would approve their proposal and disburse the funds to the East Kolaka administration.
These projects included a consulting service worth Rp 714 million for building two bridges in Ueesi district and another consulting service worth Rp 175 million for the development of 100 houses in Uluiwoi district.
Merya accepted Anzarullah\'s request and agreed to give him a 30 percent commission fee. Furthermore, Merya told Anzarullah to coordinate directly with the head of the East Kolaka procurement services division to ensure that the companies owned by Anzarullah’s friends would win the tenders for the consulting projects, which had been posted to the regency’s electronic procurement services (LP-SE) website.
As part of the deal, Merya allegedly asked for Rp 250 million for the two consulting projects awarded to Anzarullah and his friends. Anzarullah then handed over Rp 25 million to Merya as an advance, with the remaining Rp 225 million to be handed over to Merya at Anzarullah\'s private residence in Kendari at a later dat.
"The KPK appeals to all state administrators to avoid any activities that might involve corruption. Because after all, we are now in the middle of dealing with Covid-19. We still need a lot of funds to finance the development of our nation," said Ghufron.
House search
The KPK’s enforcement and execution deputy, Karyoto, said the anticorruption agency planned to conduct house searches in a number of locations in connection with the alleged embezzlement of the BNPB funds. The KPK typically gathered a lot of information and evidence from searching residences.
"When we have found witnesses and evidence on the people who might be involved, we will disclose them to the public," he said.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
