Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has confirmed that he will meet with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to aid in the anti-graft body’s probe into the capital’s hosting of the Formula E race in June.
Though the electric car race itself was, by all accounts, a success, questions about possible off-track shady dealings linger.
“I have received a letter of summons from KPK to testify in the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 7,” Anies said yesterday.
“God willing, I will go and help to clarify everything. I’m just providing testimony about Formula E, that’s it.”
Allegations of financial wrongdoing in the Jakarta Provincial Government securing Formula E hosting rights are two pronged. Firstly, KPK previously said that Anies signing a three-year deal with Formula E, from 2022 to 2024, may be at odds with a regulation prohibiting officials from committing to deals that go beyond their time in office. Anies’ five-year term as Jakarta governor is set to end in October 2022.
Secondly, Anies allegedly took out an IDR180 billion (US$12.1 million) loan from Bank DKI, Jakarta’s regional development bank, to pay the commitment fee to secure Formula E hosting rights for the city. Jakarta Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) Chairman Prasetyo Edi Marsudi previously testified to KPK that the fee was paid before the spending was sanctioned in the regional budget.
It’s important to note that KPK launched its probe into Formula E funding in 2021, but has yet to formally categorize it as a corruption investigation.
Aside from the allegations, the Jakarta Provincial Government has been heavily criticized for spending some IDR560 billion (US$37.6 million) on Formula E, with many accusing the administration of financially neglecting priority programs like flood mitigation and traffic management in the capital.
