KPK Asks Setya Novanto to Surrender

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) called on House Speaker Setya Novanto (Setnov) who has been named a suspect in a graft case related to the procurement of national electronic identity card e-ID to surrender.

"In a persuasive manner we call on SN (Setya Novanto) to surrender," KPK Spokesman Febri Diansyah said here early on Thursday.

KPK investigators on Wednesday night visited Setnov residence in Kebayoran Baru but he was not at home.  The investigators searched him after he did not show up to meet a number of summons issued by the antigraft agency.  
   
The KPK has issued arrest warrant for suspect Setnov. Since Wednesday night and early Thursday, the KPK investigators team was in the field to search for the suspect. If he did not surrender, the KPK will coordinate on the need to put Setnov on the wanted list.

Setnov who is also the general chairman of the Golkar Party has been absent for four times after KPK's call to be present as a witness for Sudihardjo and on Wednesday as a suspect.

On the first summon, on Monday (Oct 30), Setnov did not meet the KPK's call on grounds that he had to attend some activities in the region during the DPR recess.

On the second and third call on Nov 6 and Nov 13, respectively, Setnov stated that his summoning should be under a written permit from the president.

He was renamed a suspect in the e-ID procurement project on Friday (Nov 10). He had previously been named a suspect in the same case, but had won his pre-trial case.

"The KPK has issued an order of investigation into Setnov since Oct 31, 2017," KPK deputy chief Saut Situmorang revealed at a press conference earlier.

Situmorang stated that the KPK had studied the pretrial court's decision on Sept 19, 2017, which revoked Setnov's status as a corruption suspect and other related laws.

In view of that, the KPK started a new investigation on Oct 5, 2017, to develop the electronic identity card case and inquired a number of parties, as well as collected the relevant evidence.

After enough evidence was collected during the process of investigation, the KPK leadership, along with its investigators and prosecutors, exposed the case at the end of October 2017," he explained.

It was found that Setnov, as DPR member in the period from 2009-2014, along with Sudihardjono; Andi Agustinus alias Andi Narogong; Irman, director general of civil registry and population affairs of the Ministry of Home Affairs; Sugiharto, official-in-charge of making commitment of the directorate general of civil registry and population affairs; as well as several other accomplices, abused power and facilities to cause at least Rp2.3 trillion financial loss to the state from the Rp5.9 trillion e-ID procurement project of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the 2011-2012 period.

Setnov has been charged with violating articles in Law Number 31 of 1999 on Corruption and Criminal Act.

"The KPK hoped that all parties would support the anti-corruption efforts in the country to ensure a better Indonesia for the future generations," Situmorang remarked. (WDY)