KPK urged to probe Foreign Ministry officials

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is urging the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to summon and investigate two top officials at the Foreign Affairs Ministry for alleged graft.

ICW on Tuesday reported their latest findings on the case to the KPK, presenting documents allegedly revealing that ministry officials by the initials HNW and IC received gratuities of Rp 1 billion and Rp 2.35 billion, respectively.

ICW’s coordinator for investigation Agus Sunaryanto, said the money had come from mark-ups of ticket refund payments of business travel expenses at the ministry. HNW, he said, allegedly received the gratuity in 2009 and IC in 2008.

“We hope the KPK can immediately follow up on our findings,” he said.

The NGO also enclosed a copy of a letter signed by the ministry’s inspector general Dienne H. Moehario confirming there were payments of ticket refunds amounting to US$2.19 million that were against the law.

Last week, ICW also reported to the KPK details on alleged mark-ups in ticket expenses of the ministry’s diplomats, officials and their families’ business travels in 2009.