Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Monday it would examine findings from the Election Organizers Ethics Council (DKPP) regarding the controversial Rp 90 billion ($5.5 million) private jet rental by the General Elections Commission (KPU), which led to a severe ethics warning for its top officials.

"We will study the DKPP decision and the facts presented in the case. This will serve as additional information for KPK in following up on the public report," KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told reporters at KPK's headquarters in South Jakarta.

The complaint, filed in May by Transparency International Indonesia (TII), Themis Indonesia, and Trend Asia, accuses KPU officials of corruption and misuse of state facilities by leasing private jets for non-official purposes during the 2024 general election period.

Budi said the case remains in the preliminary complaint stage, meaning details cannot yet be disclosed publicly. "Since this is still at the complaint stage, we cannot provide specific details or progress updates," he said, adding that the KPK will keep the reporting parties informed confidentially as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability.

In its ruling last week, the DKPP found KPU chairman Mochammad Afifuddin and five commissioners – Idham Holik, Yulianto Sudrajat, Parsadaan Harahap, August Mellaz, and Secretary General Bernard Dermawan Sutrisno – guilty of violating the election organizers' code of ethics. The council issued a "strong warning" to each official.

According to DKPP's findings, the KPU used Rp 90 billion in state funds from the 2024 national budget to lease private jets in two phases between January and February 2024, Rp 65.5 billion in the first phase and Rp 46.2 billion in the second. The council noted a budget discrepancy of about Rp 19.3 billion.

Although the rental process was conducted under existing procurement rules and audited by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), the DKPP concluded that the commissioners misused the aircraft, which were originally intended to oversee logistics distribution to Indonesia's remote and outermost regions.

The civil society coalition's report also raises environmental concerns, citing an estimated 382,806 kilograms of CO2 emissions generated from 59 private jet trips to 40 destinations across the country.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/kpk-to-probe-election-commissions-55-million-private-jet-spendin