BPKP Granted Access to Oversee BTS Project

The government has asked BPKP to oversee the procurement of thefor the Communications and Information Ministry’s 4G telecommunications project.

ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA

Acting Minister of Communication and Informatics Mahfud MD (left) delivers a press statement at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics office, Jakarta, Monday (22/5/2023).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has asked the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) to oversee the procurement of the base transceiver stations (BTS) for the Communications and Information Ministry’s 4G telecommunications project. External supervisors, such as the BPKP, have been prohibited from entering the ministry.

“One factor that allowed this [alleged corruption] to occur was THAT the BPKP was not permitted to enter the Communications and Information Ministry. Other ministries are safe [from corruption] because they ask the BPKP to audit projects before starting them. In this case, they were not allowed to enter,” said Mahfud during a joint press conference at the Communications and Information Ministry in Jakarta on Tuesday (23/5/2023).

Allegations of corruption in the construction of 4G BTS and supporting infrastructure packages 1-5 by the ministry’s Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (Bakti) from 2020 to 2024 are estimated to have cost the state Rp 8.03 trillion in losses.

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On Tuesday (23/5), the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) named another suspect, Windy Purnama. The AGO has already charged six people, one of whom is former communications and information minister Johnny G. Plate.

The other five suspects are Bakti president director Anang Achmad Latif, PT Mora Telematika Indonesia president director Galumbang Menak Simanjuntak, University of Indonesia human development expert Yohan Suryanto, PT Huawei Investment account director Mukti Ali and PT Solitech Media Sinergy commissioner Irwan Hermawan.

The investigation files for the five suspects have already been handed over to the South Jakarta District Attorney’s Office and are ready to go to trial. From Badung, Bali, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin also encouraged every project to be monitored from the planning stage, including the 4G BTS project.

KOMPAS/AW SUBARKAH

Telecommunications tower

Mahfud, who currently serves as acting communications and information minister, explained that efforts to prevent corruption in the BTS project have not been effective. He therefore asked the BPKP, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the police to oversee the project.

According to Mahfud, this project continues the government’s efforts to provide equal internet access, which was first initiated in 2006. After the project was implemented in 2021, allegations of corruption were discovered and the legal process began in 2022.

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Attorney general for extraordinary crimes Febrie Adriansyah said on Tuesday night that apart from corruption allegations, investigators are still examining allegations of money laundering, which Windy was also charged with.

Windy is the fourth suspect named in the money-laundering case. Previously, the AGO named three other suspects in the alleged BTS corruption case as well as the money-laundering case: Irwan, Galumbang and Anang.

Resuming the project

Mahfud also appointed an official at the BPKP, Arief Tri Hardiyanto, as inspector general of the Communications and Information Ministry. Arief was appointed along with three other high-ranking officials within the ministry.

Mahfud hopes that the inauguration of these new officials can encourage bureaucratic reforms that will help realize an inclusive, empowering and sustainable digital transformation. This digital transformation is expected to pave the way for digital connectivity to remote areas of the country.

The Vice President also requested that equal distribution of internet access through the “Tol Langit” project be resumed despite allegations of corruption in the 4G BTS and supporting infrastructure project.

This article was translated byKesya Adhalia.

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