Gowa Regent Grilled Over $1 Million Free School Uniform Procurement Case

The Regent of Gowa, Sitti Husniah Talenrang, faced intense questioning from investigators at the South Sulawesi Regional Police regarding a corruption case. The investigation centers on the alleged misuse of funds totaling 16 billion rupiah (approximately $1 million USD) for the procurement of free school uniforms for elementary and junior high school students in 2025.

Appearing at the police headquarters on Wednesday, Talenrang confirmed her cooperation with the authorities. Her legal counsel, Amirullah Mappaero, reported that the Regent was subjected to eight hours of interrogation, during which she answered 18 questions. Mappaero emphasized that his client was fulfilling a summons and cooperating fully with the investigation.

According to Mappaero, the questions posed to the Regent primarily concerned the public's satisfaction with the free uniform program. "We were only asked about the level of public satisfaction after the implementation of the free uniform program, that's all," he stated. This suggests the investigation may be exploring whether the program, despite its stated goals, was implemented effectively or met public expectations.

This marks the first time the Regent has been questioned in connection with the alleged corruption in the uniform procurement case, which is being handled by the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation. While the Regent's role is described as a general supervisor, the case gained attention after a special committee in the Gowa Regional Legislative Council raised questions about the 16 billion rupiah budget, suspecting it did not comply with regulations.