Rahardjo denied the accusation saying he was ready to be interrogated as a witness.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Agus Rahardjo made assurance that no conflict of interest would occur in the electronic identification (e-ID) card corruption case if he remains the KPK chief and handles the case.

"I do not want to trigger a polemic in the mass media. We should prove it in court. We should prove my commitment that there is no conflict of interest. I never lobby for anyone nor do I take steps intended to mar anyones image; it never happens," Rahardjo stated here, Wednesday.

Fahri Hamzah, a lawmaker, had earlier stated that Rahardjo had a conflict of interest in the case, as he was head of the Government Goods and Service Procurement Policy Institution (LKPP) that had conducted an assessment on the E-ID card procurement.

"I see that the KPK chairman is not clean, hence he should resign. He should not be involved in handling the case. The conflict of interest is very obvious because as the LKPP head, Rahardjo had lobbied for a consortium. There was also a statement that carried a threat saying if it is not the one who wins, it will fail," Fahri quoted Rahardjo as saying.

Rahardjo denied the accusation saying he was ready to be interrogated as a witness.

Meanwhile, the KPK has written to the immigration authorities to impose an overseas travel ban on five people allegedly involved in a graft case related to the procurement of e-ID cards in 2011 and 2012.

In its letter dated September 2016, the KPK has urged the immigration authorities to impose a six-month travel ban on the five people, KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah noted here on Wednesday.

"Besides the two suspects, we have also proposed (the imposition of a travel ban) on three other people," he stated.

The three other people, identified by their initials as IEW, AS, and AA, are expected to give their testimonies in the case.

"Hence, in the next 90 working days after their charges are read, we will bring a total of 133 witnesses to the trial," he asserted.

According to the first trial, tens of lawmakers serving between 2009 and 2014, officials of the Home Affairs Ministry, auditors of the State Audit Board, and employees of private companies are believed to have received funds from the e-KTP project.

The testimonies from the witnesses will be needed to prove whether the lawmakers and other parties had received money in return for their approval of the budget worth Rp5.9 trillion for the procurement of e-ID cards in 2010.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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