Sri Mulyani Speaks of Suspected Budget Broker Room at Ministry

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said there was a room at her ministry's building often used by budget brokers as a place of transaction. Sri, however, did not specify which room.

"I also heard at the Ministry of Finance there is a room used as a place to receive local administrations and becomes a place of practice for budget brokers," she told a press conference at Juanda Building 1 of the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta on Monday, May 7. 

Responding to the rumors, Sri has asked the ministry's secretary-general and Inspectorate General to evaluate the designation of space at the ministry's building.

She also called for more secure access to the ministry to ward off people who had no business being at the ministry. 

Read: Poll Sees Sri Mulyani as Indonesia`s Most Vocal Female

The minister's stern orders were an apparent response to the Friday's arrest of the Section Head of Funding Development of Housing and Settlement Area of the Directorate General of Fiscal Balance, Yaya Purnomo, in a sting operation (OTT) by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). 

Yaya was allegedly involved in a gratification case related to the proposal of local financial funds in the 2018 Revised Draft State Budget. The anti-graft body named Yaya as a suspect along with a Commission XI lawmaker from the Democrat Party faction, Amin Santono. 

Read: Sri Mulyani: Fuel Price Determination is Proper

The ministry's secretary-general, Hadiyanto, said heightened security access would be effective tomorrow at the latest. He also made apologies in advance to all parties, particularly the media, if the measures would require the presentation of ID cards to access the ministry's premises.

"I do not want that to happen inside the Ministry of Finance, people can come in and meet and do transactions [corruption]. This ministry's environment is a state asset, thus this area must be corruption-free, we must be consistent," said Sri Mulyani.

ADAM PRIREZA