Religion Minister accused of accepting IDR 70 million bribe in exchange for approving unqualified official

Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin. Photo: Facebook
Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin. Photo: Facebook

The prosecutor for Indonesia’s independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) today in court laid out the allegations facing Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs, who has been accused of corruption in the form of bribery.

During today’s session in the trial of Haris Hasanudin — who has been charged with giving the bribe to Lukman —  at the Jakarta Corruption Court, the prosecutor read an indictment alleging that Lukman had worked with now-suspended United Development Party (PPP) chairman Muhammad Rohamurmuziy to get Haris a senior position within the Religious Affairs Ministry and accepted an IDR 70 million (US$4,857) gift from Haris in exchange.

“To expedite the selection of the defendant (Haris) to head the East Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion, he intended to ask for assistance directly from Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, but because the defendant found it difficult, Musyaffa Noer, the East Java PPP chairperson, recommended meeting PPP Chairperson Muhammad Romahurmuziy since [Lukman] is a PPP cadre who has a special affinity with Muhammad Romahurmuziy,” the KPK prosecutor said while reading the indictment today as quoted by Detik.

According to the indictment, Haris was unable to get the position because there was a requirement that candidates not have received any disciplinary sanctions in the last five years. Haris had received one in 2016.

The KPK says Lukman used his power to add Haris to the list of potential candidates. Despite Haris being flagged because of his disciplinary sanction, Romahurmuziy demanded Haris get the position regardless and Lukman pushed him through.

According to the anti-corruption commission, Haris paid IDR 325 million to get the position, of which Romahurmuziy received IDR 255 million while Lukman only got IDR 70 million.

Romahurmuziy has already been named a suspect in the case by the KPK but the anti-corruption commission has not yet charged Lukman.

In March, Lukman admitted to having received an IDR 10 million gift but claimed to have reported it to the KPK as gratification. That revelation came shortly after a KPK raid on his offices at the Religous Affairs ministry revealed IDR 600 million in unaccounted for cash.

Lukman is one of several senior members of Jokowi’s administration that have been charged or convicted of corruption in recent months, with other notable examples being Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi and Imam Nahrawi and Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto.



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