Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Former social affairs minister Bachtiar Chamsah is also suspect in a sarong procurement corruption case, according to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"That is true. Bachtiar Chamsah has also been declared suspect in a corruption case in sarong procurement," KPK spokesman Johan Budi said here on Saturday.

Johan could not as yet tell in detail about the case saying that KPK is still investigating the loss suffered by the state in connection with the procurement project from 2006 to 2008.

Bachtiar has earlier been named suspect in a corruption case relating to cow imports and sewing machine procurement. The two projects were carried out while he was minister of social affairs.

Johan said the three cases would be put in one dossier.

KPK thinks there has been direct appointment and price markups in cow imports and sewing machine procurement causing the state to suffer a loss.

"The loss is still being calculated," Johan said.

But based upon initial calculation the state has lost around Rp24 billion in connection with the 2004 sewing machine procurement project worth Rp51 billion and around Rp3.6 billion in connection with the Rp19 billion worth cow imports.

KPK started probing the cow import case in 2007 and had investigated it since early 2009.

The case actually occured in 2004 when the ministry of social affairs was led by Bachtiar Chamsyah.

The case was unveiled as KPK was investigating irregular accounts in the ministry of social affairs in 2007.

The State Audit Board in 2005 also alleged that irregularities had occured in the office in connection with cow and sewing machine procurements.

According to a source the cow import was done by a company which was appointed directly by the office. One of the company executives is alledged to have blood relationship with a noted national figure.

The company was assigned to import 2,800 heads of Steer Brahman Cross from Australia.

When the project was underway the company allegedly sold some of the cows making it fail to supply around 900 cows.

The shortage however has been covered up to make the project seemed to be going as planned.(*)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
COPYRIGHT © 2012

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