TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Inactive Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama responds to a testimony provided by Sylviana Murni about former Jakarta Governor, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's involvement in the Jakarta social assistance fund graft case. Sylviana delivered her statement after she was questioned by the National Police''s Criminal Investigation Corps (Bareskrim) on Friday, January 20, 2017.
Sylviana, who previosly served as chairperson of the Jakarta Scout, was questioned in relation to an alleged social assitance fund (Bansos) corruption case throughout 2014-2015.
Sylviana claimed that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo approved the funding. She also argued that the social assistance fund disbursement was in accordance with the Governor’s Regulation No. 235 of 2014, which was issued at February 14, 2014.
Meanwhile, according to Ahok, the fund's approval has no connection with the alleged corruption case that’s currently being investigated by the police.
“That’s not [just] Jokowi. Every governor must have approved the funding disbursement,” Ahok said on Monday, January 23, 2017.
Ahok explained that the assistance fund distributed by Jakarta officials have been studied thoroughly. Without the governor’s decree, Ahok said, the funds could not be issued. However, if there was a flaw in its use, it would be the responsibility of receivers.
“If the fund gets to you, and then you conduct a fictitious activity, [then it turns out] there was no activity, [obviously] you’ll deal with the police. It has nothing to do with the governor,” Ahok stated.
Ahok said that the assistance fund should not be given three times in a row to a receiver with no connections with regional officials. But the Scout had always received funding in the form of grants since it’s considered as an official government institution.
LARISSA HUDA