JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has asked Immigration Office to ban Malem Sambat Kaban, former Minister of Forestry and Chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), for travelling overseas following the revival of investigation into the graft case related to the 2007 procurement of an integrated radio communications system (SKRT).
Kaban served as minister of forestry for 2004-2009 period.
Johan Budi Sapto Prabowo, Spokesperson of KPK, revealed on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that Kaban will be banned from overseas travel wihtin next six months.
Johan said KPK also asked Immigration Office to ban Muhammad Yusuf, former Kaban’s driver, from overseas travel.
KPK’s investigation into the SKRT graft case has revived after KPK arrested Anggoro Widjojo, the main suspect in the case, in Shenzhen, China, last month.
In 2007, Anggoro’s company PT Masaro Radiokom won the tender of the SKRT project through allegedly bribing lawmakers and the Forestry Ministry’s officials.
The SKRT graft case had dragged four figures into convicts;
1) President Director of PT Masaro Radiokom, Putranevo A. Prayogo, sentenced for 6 years in jail
2) Former Head of the Forestry Ministry’s Planning & Finance Bureau, Wandjojo Siswanto, sentenced for 3 years and 4 months in jail
3) Head of the House Commission IV and politician from PKB, Yusuf Erwin Faisal, sentenced for 4.5 years in jail
4) Anggoro’s younger brother, Anggodo Widjojo, sentenced for 10 years in jail.
Kaban had been questioned as witness by KPK back in 2012. At that time, the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) urged KPK to name Kaban as suspect. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)