Kapuas Regent and Wife Accused in Corruption to Cover Political Costs

The regent of Kapuas, Ben Brahim S. Bahat and his wife, Ary Egahni, are alleged to have committed corruption to fund their participation in regional head and legislative elections.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Kapuas Regent, Ben Brahim S Bahat, and his wife are members of the DPR for the Nasdem Party faction, Ary Egahni, at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/3/2023).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — By the means of cutting the regional budget, the regent of Kapuas, Central Kalimantan, Ben Brahim S. Bahat and his wife, Ary Egahni, are alleged to have committed corruption to fund their participation in regional head and legislative elections, pay for national surveys and finance living needs. It is feared that ahead of the 2024 elections, such practices are prone to be repeated.

In this case, Ben allegedly received kickbacks from the private sector. Meanwhile, Ary who is also a member of the House of Representatives for the NasDem Party allegedly asked for money and luxury goods from several heads of work units in the Kapuas regency administration. It is estimated that the money received by both of them from corruption amounts to Rp 8.7 billion.

She [Ary] has notified the party relating to the status [applied] by the KPK to her.

On Tuesday (28/3/2023), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Ben and Ary as suspects and arrested them.

Deputy secretary-general of the central executive board (DPP) of NasDem in the field of public policy and strategic issues Hermawi Taslim said the party respected the legal process carried out by the KPK against Ary. "She [Ary] has notified the party relating to the status [applied] by the KPK to her," he said.

Facilities and money

KPK deputy chairman Johanis Tanak said that as the Kapuas regent for the 2013-2018 and 2018-2023 periods, Ben allegedly received facilities and a sum of money from a number of regional work units (SKPD) in the Kapuas regency administration, including from several private parties. Ary was also suspected of actively interfering with the government process by, among other things, ordering several SKPD heads to meet her personal needs in the form of giving money and luxury goods.

According to Johanis, the source of money received by Ben and Ary came from various official budget posts in the Kapuas regency SKPD. The practice of corruption through budget cuts was carried out as if as a debt to the state administrators, accompanied by bribery in the Kapuas regency administration.

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From the private sector, Ben received a sum of money related to the granting of permits for the location of plantations in Kapuas.

The facilities and money received by the two were then used to finance Ben following his election as the Kapuas regent and the election as governor of Central Kalimantan in 2020, as well as to finance Ary's participation in the House election in 2019.

"Regarding the amount of money received by BBSB [Ben] and AE [Ary] it so far amounts to around Rp 8.7 billion, among other things it was also used to pay two national survey institutions," Johanis said.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

KPK Deputy Chairman Johanis Tanak (center) exposed the detention of the Kapuas District Head, Ben Brahim S Bahat, and his wife who is a member of the DPR from the Nasdem Party faction, Ary Egahni at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/3/2023).

Ben and Ary have been charged under articles 11 and 12 of Law No. 31/1999 on the eradication of corruption as amended by Law No. 20/2001 on amendments to Law No. 31/1999 in conjunction with Article 55 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Johanis said that the regional head as the representative of the state should be an exemplary institution and protector of employees in his environment. Certainly not using his position to impose levies on state civil servants (ASN) for his personal interests.

Follow the legal process

Hermawi Taslim emphasized that all NasDem members have signed an integrity pact. For this reason, all members must obey the law.

Asked whether NasDem would provide legal assistance to Ary, Hermawi did not answer firmly. He only said that Ary had been accompanied by a private lawyer.

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In relation to to Ben, Golkar Party chairperson Airlangga Hartarto stressed that he would monitor the case of alleged corruption involving Ben. "I will monitor it first," he told reporters at the State Palace in Jakarta.

However, when asked for confirmation, deputy chairman of the Golkar Party Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung said that Ben was not a Golkar member.

Prone to repeat

Executive director of the Regional Autonomy Monitoring Committee (KPPOD) Herman N Suparman said that corruption such as that allegedly carried out by Ben and Ary was prone to repetition, especially in the regions where regional heads would run again in the 2024 elections. Therefore, the internal and external supervision of local governments must be strengthened.

Herman hoped that there would be a strengthening of the collaboration of supervisory institutions with the public such as the State Civil Servants Commission (KASN), the General Elections Supervisory Agency and the Government Internal Supervisory Agency (APIP) together with the components of civil society. Thus, cases of alleged corruption as those implicating Ben and Ary would not continue to occur.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.