Covid-19 Test Kit Procurement; BNPB Refutes Allegations of Wrongdoing

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo on Monday made a statement following a report conducted by Tempo Magazine’s investigation team, Investigative Journalist Club, and the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) which found alleged mishandling and issues related to the procurement of Covid-19 equipment.

The BNPB head assured that the procurement of Covid-19 testing equipment and services they had  conducted since the early days of the pandemic were transparent and accountable, which he said is evident in the ‘transparency mode’ he established that involves each deputy having to sign each and every procurement policies. 

“My main goal is to protect myself and the organization because how can I be able to monitor each and everyone of them?” said Doni in an interview with Tempo’s newspaper, Koran Tempo, on March 15. 

The collective investigative report stated that dozens of hospitals had returned hundreds of covid testing equipment distributed by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). 

Meanwhile, the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) found there were hundreds of thousands of distributed reagents valued Rp40 billion up to August 2020. The ICW on the other hand found roughly Rp170 billion graft potential in this procurement problem.

Doni Monardo said the BNPB has formed a team to include elements from the BPKP and the National Public Procurement Agency (LKPP) as a means to be as transparent as possible in procuring Covid-19 testing equipment.

Read: Police Arrest Suspects for Illegally Dismantling Covid-19 Graves

FRISKI RIANA | KORAN TEMPO