Indonesian 3D Printer & Scanner Scandal Investigation Underway

Indonesia’s politics are a wild game of chance where corruption and scandal are regular occurrences. Now local news outlets are saying a group of members of the Jakarta City Council are very likely involved in what’s been called the UPS — for uninterrupted power supply — affair.

Investigations into that scandal have also spilled over into other alleged events, and the deputy chairman of the Jakarta City Council (DPRD), Abraham “Haji Lulung” Lunggana, faced questions regarding his possible role in a scheme involving the suspected cost markups in the procurement of 3D printers and scanners in 25 public schools in West Jakarta.

Lunggana came under scrutiny partly in regard to his ties to the former head of infrastructure at the West Jakarta Education Agency, Alex Usman, a key figure in the UPS affair.

For his part, Lunggana fiercely denies his involvement in the corruption schemes, but Usman has already admitted he bribed Jakarta councilors to smooth over the markup scheme.

Lunggana served as the coordinator of the Education Commission at the DPRD at the time and he proposed the purchase of the UPS units, but despite the accusations, Lunggana denies involvement in either the UPS or 3D printer and scanner corruption schemes.

“I don’t know Alex Usman,” Lunggana says. “I swear on the Quran, I don’t know him. If I’m lying, take my life now. I never met him, I don’t know his mouth, his nose, his breath, his stare. I have a wife and kids. If I was involved in the UPS corruption, I can dare to swear that my family and I will all die. Bury me alive.”

Other Jakarta City Council members were also grilled regarding cases of alleged corruption in the procurement of scanners and 3D printers for use in schools by members of the ominously named Directorate of Corruption Criminal Investigation Police.

“This case is detrimental to the country, I hope that the perpetrators will be punished…if found guilty,” said Lulungga to the assembled media.

At this point, the case is still in the investigation stage. Investigators say several witnesses have already been questioned, and that list includes principals who allegedly received payments as part of the 3D printer and scanner procurement scheme.

What do you think about this alleged plot by local government officials in Indonesia to line their pockets from the sale of 3D printers and scanners to schools? Let us know in the Indonesia 3D Printer Scandal forum thread on 3DPB.com.