JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has summoned two high-level officials from the Ministry of Forestry for a questioning on Thursday (Oct. 16) related to its effort on investigating the possibility of the involvement of other state officials in forest area conversion bribery scandal implicating Riau Governor and Golkar Party key leader Annas Maamun.
KPK’s News & Information Head Priharsa Nugraha revealed that the two high-level officials from the Ministry of Forestry summoned today are Bambang Supriyanto and Masyhud. Both are directors at the Forestry Ministry.
Priharsa added that both officials will be questioned as witnesses for Annas Maamun, one of suspects in the case.
Annas Maamun’s bribery scandal is just one of cases being investigated by the KPK related to the issuance of forest area conversion permit. Another bribery case of forest area conversion now investigated by the KPK is PT Bukit Jonggol Asri’s (BJA) bribery scandal. Bogor Regent Rachmat Yasin, Sentul City (BKSL) Boss Kwee Cahyadi Kumala aka Swie Teng, and BJA’s Director Francis Xaverius Yohan Yap have been named as suspects in this case.
Then Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan, now Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), was one among those who have been examined as witnesses in the BJA’s bribery scandal. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)