KPK Challenges Mahfud MD to Prove Whoosh Markup, Islah Bahrawi Gives a Sneak

FAJAR.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Nahdatul Ulama figure, Islah Bahrawi highlighted the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which wants to challenge Mahfud MD.

The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) challenged the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) to officially report alleged irregularities or markups in the Whoosh high-speed train construction project.

Islah explained that without needing to prove it, this had been seen from the chronology of the transfer of tenders from Japan to China.

Islah said, the fees offered by Japan are lower with lower interest rates compared to China.

In fact, he said that when it was transferred to a Chinese tender, the costs immediately increased many times over.

“How is it? The chronology of events is clear. From Japan, where fees and interest were small, suddenly they were transferred without a tender to China with higher interest rates and swelling cost overruns,” he explained, quoted by X Saturday (18/10/2025).

With this value, the potential for state losses can already be foreseen even before the project is implemented.

For this reason, Islah hopes that there is no need to wait for complaints, an investigation can already be carried out based on these facts.

“The potential for loss to the state is clear. Just investigate, don’t wait for complaints,” he concluded.

Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission explained that investigations could only be carried out if there was a formal complaint from the public.

“The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) appeals to the public who have preliminary information or initial data regarding suspected criminal acts of corruption, to please submit their complaints to the Corruption Eradication Committee through the public complaint channel,” said Corruption Eradication Commission spokesperson Budi Prasetyo. (Elva/Dawn)