PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—Former West Kalimantan governor Sutarmidji defended provincial grants to the Mujahidin Grand Mosque Foundation. He did so while testifying at a corruption trial in Pontianak on Wednesday, September 16.

He argued that the school built within the mosque complex served a supporting role. Therefore, it should not be treated as unrelated to the mosque.

“Do not separate the grand mosque from the school. If we keep going over these points, it means we do not understand the case,” Sutarmidji told the court during questioning about the foundation’s transfer of funds to an educational institution.

The case concerns alleged irregularities in provincial grants provided during 2020–2022 for construction of the Mujahidin high school building.

Prosecutors have brought charges against two people involved in the project. These are the head of the foundation’s construction body and a planner who also prepared its budget.

Investigators allege that some spending departed from the approved budget. They also allege that parts of the work fell short of specified quantities or quality. Those allegations remain before the court.

Sutarmidji, who governed West Kalimantan from 2018 to 2023, said Mujahidin had held grand-mosque status since 1953. In his view, that status placed the mosque and its supporting facilities within the province’s responsibilities.

He said a school could help the complex meet the criteria for a provincial grand mosque. In addition, it would increase secondary-school capacity for families in southeastern Pontianak.

“The school is a supporting building under the criteria for a grand mosque,” he said.

“We have been a grand mosque since 1953, but we had not met the criteria. That is why we worked to meet them.”

The former governor stressed that the provincial administration awarded the grants to the Mujahidin Foundation, not directly to the school.

“The Mujahidin Foundation and the school are one entity. The grant went to the Mujahidin Foundation. How it is subsequently used is up to the foundation,” he said.

That argument does not, by itself, resolve the question at trial. Indonesia’s regional finance rules require grants to have a specified purpose. Furthermore, they also make recipients formally and materially responsible for their use.

The court must assess the grant documents, approved budget, spending records and construction evidence alongside the witness testimony.

Sutarmidji’s explanation provides the rationale he says guided the province’s decision to fund facilities within the mosque complex. The judges must decide whether the foundation spent and accounted for those funds as required.