Former UI Rector Questioned by KPK

Rizky Amelia

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned former University of Indonesia Rector Gumilar Soemantri on Tuesday over alleged graft cases at the university.

In January, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) reported that two UI projects potentially caused the state Rp 45 billion ($4,735,000) in losses.

Under the leadership of Gumilar, the university agreed to rent some 23,500 square meters of land in Cikini, Central Jakarta to a private company without notifying the Finance Ministry that managed the state asset.

According to UI lecturer Effendi Gazali, UI accepted a down payment of Rp 15 billion for the rent, and will receive Rp 607 million each year during the contract period between 2012 to 2039. In an earlier plan, UI was planning to build a guest house at the location — the project has caused a potential loss of Rp 41 billion.

Another project involved the construction of a hospital in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). But because UI cannot construct the hospital according to the timeframe scheduled in the contract, the university must pay a Rp 4 billion fine.

Activists at the university also said that the procurement of goods and services in information technology for the university’s library was potentially rife with corruption; a forgery of an official’s signature was found on 11 procurement documents worth Rp 21 billion.