Mega-Mosque Mega-Corruption

TheIndonesia.id - A mega-mosque construction project in South Sumatra, Indonesia, has brought several public officials to face justice. Prosecutor states this Sriwijaya Mosque project has potentially inflicted loss to the public for Rp130 billion or more than US$9 million.

The case has highlighted several big names in the country, from former Chief of Constitutional Court Jimly Asshidiqie to former Governor of South Sumatra Province Alex Noerdin. Noerdin, former Palembang Mayor Akhmad Najib, and former Palembang City Secretary Mukti Sulaiman have become suspects in this corruption case. The other two suspects are Loka Sangganegara as the Project Manager dan Agustinus Toni as a former budget official in the South Sumatra government.

Noerdin testified in court for other suspects saying that this mosque is not an ordinary one. South Sumatra Province government planned the mosque to be built near Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport.

"Who wants to pray there? Too far. I asked the (government) legal bureau, whether there is a location near the sports center?" Noerdin says.

The legal bureau official confirmed a location near the sports center. Noerdin then asked for a design contest for the proposed mosque. "There were 20 designs," Noerdin says.

The committee picked a winner. The budget for construction was Rp668 billion or US$47 million. The government of South Sumatra proposed the budget to parliament. Noerdin as governor published a regulation to withdraw funds Rp50 billion from the public budget in 2015. In 2017, Noerdin released a second regulation that withdrew another Rp80 billion. So total Noerdin has withdrawn Rp130 billion or more than US$9 million.

"It was as a bait," Noerdin says during his testimony.

When the construction started, it was found out that the land is in dispute. Some local villagers claim their ownership over the land.

This dispute made the work stopped. Starting this year, the Attorney General office investigates the case.