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JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia’s minister of social affairs surrendered to anti-corruption authorities on Sunday to face charges of taking bribes related to the government’s Covid-19 aid distribution.
The Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari Batubara, arrived at the headquarters of the Commission for the Eradication of Corruption in the capital, Jakarta, hours after the president of the commission, Firli Bahuri, asked him to surrender at a press conference shortly before midnight on Saturday.
Batubara, who is also a member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Struggle Party, did not comment.
The anti-corruption commission, known by its acronym KPK, said Batubara is accused of receiving at least 17 billion rupees ($ 1.2 million) from two supplier companies through his two subordinates, who were also named suspects.
Bahuri said vendors were asked to set aside $ 0.7 for each basic food package distributed to the poor for the benefit of Batubara.
He said Batubara could face life in prison if convicted of stealing public money.
“We will not stop here. We will take a close look at how government social assistance is being obtained and channeled during the Covid-19 pandemic, ”Bahuri said.
He is the second cabinet member arrested for corruption in less than two weeks. Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Edhy Prabowo, who has since resigned, was also arrested on suspicion of taking bribes in connection with lobster larvae exports and allegedly used the money for a luxury shopping spree in the United States.
The cases could further tarnish President Joko Widodo’s credibility in the fight against corruption. Two other cabinet ministers, including Batubara’s predecessor, have been sentenced to prison in corruption cases.
Widodo campaigned in part on a commitment to running clean government in a country that ranks 85th out of 180 countries in the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index compiled by Transparency International.
Indonesia has reported close to 570,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the largest in Southeast Asia and the second in Asia alone after India’s 9.6 million confirmed cases. Indonesia also recorded more than 17,000 coronavirus deaths and has been adding 4,000-6,000 daily cases since last month.
