Corruption Watchdog Finds Flaws in Tenders for Covid-19 Equipment Supply in Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Nongovernmental organization Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has found flaws in Indonesia’s fight against Covid-19 nearly six months after the pandemic has virtually brought the country to a standstill.

“Our report indicates that some companies which won tenders to procure health equipment to tackle Covid-19 actually lack experience in the field,” said ICW researcher Siti Juliantari during a virtual discussion on August 12.

“This is unusual as companies experienced in procuring health equipment should be prioritized during [national] emergencies [like the Covid-19 pandemic]. Whether one researched them on the e-catalogue or their record, how did they gain those tenders?”

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Among the examples Tari highlighted are PT Ziya Sunanda Indonesia and CV Johan Agung.

“PT Ziya Sunanda Indonesia usually wins tenders to develop [telecommunications] networks and as contractor, but now they are granted tenders to procure Covid-19 reagents,” she noted.

“CV Johan Agung has experience in supplying offices and libraries for private junior high schools. Now they won a tender to procure masks for the health ministry’s Health Polytechnic branch in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.”

Tari pointed out that the discrepancies do not end there.

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“[The ICW] also highlighted plans to allocate funds for an emergency hospital in Galang Island that was not filled in the public works and public housing ministry’s Information System for General Procurement [SIRUP] and the Electronic Procurement Service [LPSE],” she added.

“We have yet to know the exact budget or how the work was carried out. Only the government knows the details.”

Tari urged the government to be more transparent in procuring supplies needed to tackle Covid-19.

The number of Covid-19 positive people in Indonesia currently stands at 130,718. The www.covid19.go.id website noted that 5,903 of them died of the coronavirus, after an additional 79 people passed away as of August 12.

A total of 85,798 patients recovered from Covid-19 after an additional 2,088 received a clean bill of health from August 11 to 12. 

(Writers: Ardito Ramadhan, Rakhmat Nur Hakim | Editors: Icha Rastika, Bayu Galih)

Sources:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/08/12/16370091/temuan-icw-perusahaan-pemenang-tender-alkes-covid-19-tak-berpengalaman?page=all#page2. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/08/12/15082571/update-bertambah-1942-kasus-covid-19-indonesia-lewati-130000?page=all#page2.