TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sandipala Arthaputra president director Paulus Tanos said that he could not return to Indonesia to directly testify in the trial of the graft case surrounding the electronic identity cards (e-KTP) procurement project the Jakarta Corruption court (Tipikor) on Thursday, May 18, 2017.
Sandipala Arthaputra is one of the companies under the State Printing Company (PNRI) consortium that won the project tender. Paulus claimed that he could not return to Indonesia as his life is currently in danger.
“My house was attacked, I received death threats. I finally decided to stay in Singapore since March 2012,” Paulus said through a teleconference that took place in the court today.
Before testifying at the court today, Paulus was questioned by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators at the Corrupt Practice Investigation Bureau (CPIB) headquarters in Singapore.
“I want to be there in Indonesia, but I am afraid for my life,” Paulus said.
Paulus further explained the reasons behind his move to Singapore which is directly related to e-KTP project handled by his company. Since his company was assigned to supply e-KTP blank cards, Paulus collaborated with Andi Winata, the son of Tommy Winata), to provide ST-Microchips. Andi’s company, Oxel System Ltd., was the sole distributor of the chip for Indonesia.
The partnership between Paulus and Andi did not run smoothly since the chips that Andi provided were just ordinary chips used in a driver’s license. The software, according to Paulus, is incompatible for e-KTP.
The issue then sparked a feud between the two, which ended with Andi filing a police report against Paulus for a fraud.
“That’s why I escaped to Singapore,” Paulus revealed.
MAYA AYU PUSPITASARI