Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan underwent an 11-hour examination with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) regarding the investigation into an alleged corruption case of Formula E.
The examination of Baswedan was due to the fact that there had been no audit of the financial statements of the Formula E car race in June 2022 because until now there was no accounting firm willing to audit it. “The absence of an audit is a form of maladministration,” said a politician, who is known to be anti-Baswedan, adding that the examination of the governor was also due to the swelling Formula E commitment fee of up to IDR 90 billion.
Political reason
Both KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri and Deputy Chairman Alexander Marwata emphasized that Baswedan’s investigation did not have political motive or a form of character assassination. They said it was caused by many problems that needed to be investigated.
Former KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said that one out of 5 KPK leaders has an affiliation with a political party. In addition, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) faction and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) in the Jakarta Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) continued to politicize the rejection of Formula E.
Rumors circulating in the community stated that Formula E was carried out for three years in Jakarta, which was two years extension from Baswedan’s tenure as a governor. On the other hand, fees that use regional budget cannot be recovered from Formula E organizers.
Apart from the Formula E case, Baswedan continues to have a high level of electability ahead of the 2024 General Elections, according to the results of various survey institutions. He is in tight competition with Defense Minister and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo.
“Political whispers” have stated that several names of figures who have high electability ahead of the 2024 General Elections are expected to have the same fate as Baswedan, namely looking for political ulcers, including cases of alleged corruption so that later in the elections, only one or two figures will appear who dominate and rule the electoral contest.
