TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said that Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin received a bribe of Rp70 million for rigging a promotion in his ministry.

The charge was noted in the indictment for the head of Religious Affairs Ministry's East Java office Haris Hasanudin.

“Romi and Lukman Hakim had, directly and indirectly, intervened the selection process of the defendant to be the head of Religious Affairs Ministry's East Java office,” said the commission’s prosecutor Wawan Yunarwanto in Jakarta Corruption Court, Wednesday, May 29.

On the indictment, the prosecutor suspected Haris of bribing the former chairman of United Development Party (PPP) Romahurmuziy or Romi and Lukman Hakim Rp325 million to give him a high position in the Ministry’s East Java office.

During the selection process, the State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission (KASN) questioned the procedure run by the ministry that passed Haris and one other name as both had undergone disciplinary sanction.

Acknowledging the issue, Romi demanded Lukman Hakim maintained the inauguration of Haris as the head of the Ministry’s East Java. During a meeting in Mercure Hotel, Surabaya on March 1, 2019, Haris handed over Rp50 million to Lukman for backing him. The second payment of Rp20 million bribe was taken place when the minister visited Tebu Ireng Islamic boarding school, Jombang on March 9.

During the interrogation, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin admitted of receiving Rp10 million from Haris when visiting the school and claimed to have submitted the money to the anti-graft body as a gratification. However, KPK rejected the report because it was submitted after the investigation into Haris and Romi commenced.

M ROSSENO AJI