Former PKS boss denies role in graft

July 18, 2013, 04.33 PM | Source: The Jakarta Post

ILUSTRASI. Warga berjalan sambil membawa payung saat hujan di kawasan Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, Jakarta, Senin (1/11/2021). Cuaca besok di Jabodetabek cerah berawan hingga hujan petir, menurut ramalan BMKG. ANTARA FOTO/Akbar Nugroho Gumay.

JAKARTA. Former Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq has denied an allegation that he received kickbacks from businessman Yudi Setiawan.

Speaking after being questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday, Luthfi said that Yudi was only proposing business opportunities at three ministries, all of which were led by PKS politicians.

The ministries being referred to are the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, Social Affairs Ministry and Agriculture Ministry.

"I [...] did not respond [to the proposal]," he said. "What's important is that I did not do what I have been accused of, which is that I did a follow up on the proposal."

Luthfi also denied the allegation that the PKS aimed to raise Rp 2 trillion (US$200 million) of funds from the three ministries to fund the party's political campaign for the 2014 general election.

"It was Yudi's own conclusion," Luthfi said.

Luthfi has been named a suspect for allegedly taking bribes from meat importing company PT Indoguna Utama as a fee for him to influence Agriculture Minister Suswono to increase the beef importation quota.

The plan was for the funds to be derived from several projects from the ministries, including Rp 1 trillion from the Agriculture Ministry, Rp 500 billion from the Social Affairs Ministry and Rp 500 billion from Communications and Information Ministry.