KPK turns its eyes on Golkar

JAKARTA. On the same day that the Golkar Party officially backed the presidential ambitions of its chairman, Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie on Friday, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned the party’s top leader as a witness in a corruption scandal, and raided the office of another member who was allegedly involved in a Koran-procurement project.

The aggressiveness of the country’s second-largest party in pressing law enforcers, including the KPK, to use stern measures in the graft cases linked to Democratic Party politicians may well backfire against the party that ruled Indonesia for 32 years under Soeharto.

As it continues its investigations into several Democratic Party politicians due to their alleged roles in a number of graft cases, the KPK has begun to focus on the Golkar Party to investigate graft cases allegedly involving its politicians.

Golkar began to feel the heat about two weeks after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono insisted that other parties were more corrupt than his own Democratic Party.

“The statement by Pak Yudhoyono was proven to be right. Our difference from other political parties is that we don’t try to cover up [corruption allegations],” said Ruhut Sitompul, a controversial member of the Democratic Party.

The KPK has questioned the head of Golkar’s faction at the House of Representatives, Setya Novanto, as a witness in a bribery case surrounding the National Sporting Games (PON) in Riau. The senior polThe KPK has questioned the head of Golkar’s faction at the House of Representatives, Setya Novanto, as a witness in a bribery case itician is no stranger to corruption controversy and allegations; he apparently played a questionable role in a high-profile bank scandal back in 1999.

The KPK also raided the office of lawmaker Zulkarnaen Djabar on Friday, due to his suspected role in the somewhat shameful bribery case concerning Koran procurement in 2011 and 2012 at the Religious Affairs Ministry. He has also been linked to another case: a computer-procurement project in 2011, which caused state losses of approximately Rp 54.4 billion (US$5.76 million) at the Trade Ministry.

Prior to the raid, the KPK had named Zulkarnaen, who is also a member of the House Commission VIII, overseeing religion, and a member of the budget committee, as well as his son Dendy Prasetya in graft-ridden procurement involving the Religious Affairs Ministry.

“He [Zulkarnaen] was questioned as a witness about the PON Riau bribery case,” acting KPK spokesperson, Priharsa Nugraha, told reporters at KPK headquarters. Priharsa added that the commission was also preparing to summon another Golkar politician, Kahar Muzakir, over the same case.

Setya has strongly denied the accusations against him about his role in the corrupt sports project. He boasted that he had visited the KPK in order to clarify his innocence.

“I can assure you, I don’t have anything to do with the PON project in Riau. I have explained that to the KPK investigators,” he said.

Investigations into these graft cases emerged in the middle of a two-day national meeting organized by the Golkar Party to declare the nomination of its chief patron, Aburizal, in his presidential bid.

Speculation is rife that the “attacks” against Golkar from the Democratic Party were intentional. The President’s own party was almost in disarray due to its top leaders, including its chairman Anas Urbaningrum, being linked to several major corruption cases.

Anas was questioned by the KPK on Wednesday over graft allegations surrounding a sports facilities construction project worth Rp 1.52 trillion in Hambalang, West Java.

The KPK has so far questioned more than 70 people relating to the case but, as yet, no suspects have been announced.

Before Anas, the KPK had also questioned several other Democratic Party politicians, including former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, lawmaker Ignatius Mulyono, and Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng over similar allegations.

In April, the KPK detained Angelina Sondakh for her role in the bribery scandal centering on the construction of the SEA Games’ athletes’ village in South Sumatra.

Zulkarnaen Djabar
(a House of Representatives’ budget committee member)
Case: involved in three cases, including the Koran procurement bribery case in 2011 and 2012 and a computer procurement project in 2011.
Status: Suspect

Setya Novanto
(the head of the Golkar Party faction at the House)
Case: a bribery case surrounding the National Games (PON) in Riau
Status: Witness
Track record: Involved in Bank Bali scandal although a court later acquitted the senior lawmaker.

Kahar Muzakir
(a member of House Commission X overseeing education, youth affairs, sports, tourism, art and culture)
Case: a bribery case surrounding the National Games (PON) in Riau
Status: Witness