Governor of Indonesia's Poorest Province Gambles Up to USD 37 Million

TheIndonesia.id - Lukas Enembe, the Governor of the poorest province in Indonesia, Papua, must face the summons of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Enembe became a suspect of bribery and gratification related to the Papua Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget shortly after it was announced by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) that he had spent up to IDR 560 billion or USD 37 million for gambling in two countries.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked Lukas Enembe to respect the summons from the KPK to undergo an investigation related to cases of alleged bribery and project gratification. As of Monday afternoon, September 26, 2022, Enembe has not fulfilled the KPK's summons on the grounds of illness.

"I have told everyone to respect the KPK's call and respect the legal process at the KPK. Everything," said President Jokowi at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base Ops Base, Jakarta, Monday, September 26, 2022.

The President said all citizens have equal positions before the law. "I think all the legal processes at the KPK must be respected. All are equal in the eyes of the law," he said.

The anti-corruption agency summoned Lukas Enembe as a suspect to undergo examination at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Monday. "Today, the summons and examination of the suspect LE. Examination at the KPK Office, South Jakarta," said the Head of the KPK News Section, Ali Fikri.

Gambling Report

PPATK revealed that there were gambling transactions made by Lukas Enembe worth 55 million Singapore Dollars or around Rp560 billion to casinos. PPATK chairman Ivan Yustiavandana said the fantastic value gambling transaction was carried out in cash by the Governor of Papua.

"One of the analyses is related to the cash deposit transaction in question (Lukas Enembe) at a gambling casino worth 55 million Singapore dollars or IDR 560 billion, the cash deposit was carried out within a certain period," Yustiavandana said during a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Jakarta, Monday, September 19, as reported by Suara.com.

The findings were obtained by PPATK after coordinating with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). In addition, PPATK also found a flow of 5 million Singapore Dollars, or around Rp53.132 billion.

Yustiavandana explained that the gambling was carried out by Lukas Enembe in two countries. PPATK has been monitoring Lukas Enembe's financial transactions since 2017. To this day, PPATK has submitted 12 analyses of suspicious transactions to the KPK.

"There are variations in the case. There are cash deposits, then there are deposits through nominees, yes, other parties, the numbers are from Rp1 billion to hundreds of billions of rupiahs," said Yustiavandana.

Then was found a transaction to purchase luxury jewelry, one of which was a watch worth Rp550 million. "Buying a watch, yes, for 55 thousand dollars (or) Rp 550 million," Yustiavandana explained.

PPATK froze Lukas Enembe's accounts at 11 financial service providers whose value reached Rp 71 billion. "And there was also a transaction in the Rp71 billion that was mostly carried out by the son of the person concerned," said Yustiavandana.

Corruption Suspect

Lukas Enembe has been named a suspect in bribery and gratification cases. The KPK, said Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri, ensured that the investigation process carried out against Lukas Enembe would be following legal corridors and procedures, namely by upholding the principle of presumption of innocence and human rights.

"This legal compliance is of course not only to be guided by the KPK but also to the parties being investigated so that the process can run effectively and efficiently," Ali said in his statement on Saturday.

Therefore, he continued, the reason for Lukas Enembe's absence was health, of course it must also be accompanied by official documents from medical personnel so that the KPK could analyze it further. He revealed that the KPK also has special medical personnel in conducting examinations of both witnesses and suspects who the KPK has summoned.

The KPK also provided opportunities and provided health facilities for witnesses and suspects in other cases.

The attorney for Lukas Enembe, Stefanus Roy Rening, is currently waiting for Lukas Enembe's health condition to improve so that he can undergo an examination by the KPK. "We also want to convey to Mr. President Jokowi, Mr. (Lukas Enembe) is sick and how we find a solution so that his illness will be cured first before we enter the investigation stage," he explained in Jakarta.

Rening said that Lukas Enembe suffers from several medical conditions, so he has to undergo treatment in Singapore, including the stroke that has attacked the governor of Papua four times.

"Mr. Lukas has symptoms of kidney disease. He has a heart leak. He has a leaky heart from a young age and he has diabetes (and) high blood pressure," he said.

Although rich in natural resources, ironically Papua is the poorest province in Indonesia. The latest data from the Central Statistics Agency, between March-September 2021, Papua ranks first as the poorest province in Indonesia with a percentage of 27.38 percent of the population living in poverty. Then, in second place, West Papua with a presentation of 21.82%.

The poverty rate determined by the Central Statistics Agency of Indonesia is income below Rp486.168 or USD32 per capita per month. This figure is below the poverty line set by the World Bank, which is USD1.9 per day.