Lasarus says he knows the man who is behind the protest

Jakarta, Thekabarnews.com—Lasarus, head of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), spoke out against a protest that accused him of involvement in corruption related to the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program (BSPS) in Sekadau Regency, West Kalimantan. He feels slandered.

Lasarus refuted the accusations. He said the protest had political motives and aimed to damage his reputation and remove him from office. Moreover, he said he already knew who was responsible for what happened.

“We already know who the primary people are that are behind this protest. The goal is to damage my reputation and undermine the mandate entrusted to me. It is impossible for me to conduct corruption in the BSPS program,” Lasarus said, as quoted by SuaraPemred, Saturday, January 31.

He told the people to stay together and work for West Kalimantan’s growth. “We should all work together to build West Kalimantan for the general good,” he said.

Lasarus, the chairman of the West Kalimantan Regional Board of PDI Perjuangan, said that the BSPS project in Sekadau is a national program with established rules. The project got a budget of Rp10.6 billion for the 2022–2023 period.

All BSPS projects must follow the same rules, regardless of location. This requirement applies to both cities and isolated places. Lasarus added that the budget does not allocate any funds for transporting building materials, regardless of distance.

He stressed that transportation expenses always go up in remote locations because of the utilization of vehicles, time, and people. He suggested viewing the costs holistically.

When asked about a protest organized by a group calling itself the Independent Student Committee at the offices of PDI Perjuangan on Diponegoro Street, Menteng, January 13, Lasarus minimized the scope of the action.

“Only a handful of people participated, and they were the same individuals as previously. Some of them were not even from West Kalimantan. The action was short and definitely meant to go viral,” he remarked.

Lasarus asserted that the people of West Kalimantan would not succumb to deceit. He expressed confidence in their understanding of the protest’s motivations.