Jakarta – Contrary to what the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Law and Human Rights Ministry have claimed about the whereabouts of politician Harun Masiku, CCTV footage taken from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport appears to show that the politician, who is embroiled in graft allegations, returned to Indonesia on Jan. 7.
"He's not in Indonesia," Minister Yasonna Laoly said on Jan 16 when answering journalists' questions about Harun's whereabouts.
On Jan. 8, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan. He has been accused of asking for Rp 900 million (US$65,948) in bribes in exchange for his approval for Harun, a politician with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to fill the seat of a deceased politician, Nazarudin Kiemas, in the House of Representatives.
Officials said Harun himself had yet to return home after he flew to Singapore on Jan. 6. However, based on investigations made by Tempo magazine, Harun in fact left Indonesia for Singapore on Jan. 6 but returned the next day.
On Jan. 6, he departed on Garuda Indonesia flight GA 832, at 11:30 a.m. and landed in Singapore at 2:20 p.m. Singapore time. The following day on Jan. 7, he returned to Indonesia by Batik Air, landing at the airport's Terminal 2F at 5:03 p.m.
The CCTV footage, obtained by Tempo magazine, caught Harun – wearing glasses, long-sleeved navy blue t-shirt, black trousers and black shoes – making his way through the immigration gate and exiting the airport. He was carrying a laptop case and a shopping bag.
Minutes later, further footage shows him leaving the airport in a Toyota Alphard Silver Bird taxi.Adding to that, Tempo also spoke to several witnesses who claimed to have met and talked to Harun after Jan. 7. One of them said they saw him in Thamrin Residence Apartments in Central Jakarta.
"I remember him. He once complained to us [apartment management] because he found some scratches on his car," the witness who works in the apartment said. They said Harun had been living there for a number of months.
The KPK has named four people suspects in the case, including Wahyu and former Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) member Agustiani Tio Fridelina as alleged bribe recipients. Harun and a businessman named Saeful have been accused of being the bribe givers. They have been named suspects under the 2001 Corruption Law. (vla)