1Berita News – The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has vehemently denied allegations of receiving bribes from the global information technology company SAP, based in Germany. The head of Kemensos’ Data and Information Center, Agus Zainal Arifin, asserted that the ministry has never received any money from SAP and does not use SAP systems. The denial is supported by regular checks, and Agus emphasized the absence of SAP in government-owned assets, including state-owned enterprises.
Agus highlighted the challenge in investigating the use of SAP in the ministry’s previous periods due to retirements, deaths, and unknown whereabouts of former employees. Despite this difficulty, the ministry remains committed to transparency and has expressed its willingness to cooperate with legal proceedings if necessary.
Stating that the alleged bribery falls within the legal domain, Special Staff to the Minister of Social Affairs, Suhadi Lili, clarified that the current officials at Kemensos, who began their duties in 2021, are not directly involved in the scandal. He affirmed that the ministry’s work is isolated from the mentioned bribery scandal.
Furthermore, Suhadi elaborated on Minister Tri Rismaharini’s policy regarding system procurement, emphasizing the internal development of all systems since 2021. This includes the improvement of the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS) and social aid data, ensuring that there is no outsourcing to external parties. The allocated budget for these initiatives comes from routine funding.
The news also brings attention to the legal implications faced by SAP, which has been ordered to pay a substantial fine of US$220 million for proven bribery of government officials in Indonesia and South Africa. The bribery in Indonesia occurred between 2015 and 2018, involving various government entities, including the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the Balai Penyedia dan Pengelola Pembiayaan Telekomunikasi dan Informatika (Bakti Kominfo), according to official documents from the U.S. court.
