JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Minister of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali, also Chairman of Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP), has been named as suspect in the graft case of the haj pilgrimage fund during 2012-2013 period managed under the Ministry.
In the press briefing on Thursday (May 22), KPK’s Spokesperson Johan Budi Sapto Prabowo explained that KPK has charged Suryadharma with Article 2 Paragraph 1 or Article 3 of the Anti-Corruption Law juncto Article 65 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP). Suryadharma might face 20 years jail sentence and a fine of maximum Rp1 billion.
KPK has also asked the Immigration Office to ban Suryadharma from overseas travel for the next six months.
KPK had since last year conducted a study over the management of the haj pilgrimage fund after an audit report from the Anti-Money Laundering Agency PPATK found mismanagement of Rp80 trillion haj pilgrimage fund during 2004-2012 period.
KPK then had questioned several witnesses, including Suryadharma. While other witnesses questioned by KPK were Vice Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, Director General for the haj and minor haj (umrah) at the Religious Affairs’s Ministry Anggito Abimanyu, PPP lawmaker Hasrul Azwar, and PKS lawmaker Jazuli Juwaini. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)