Ex-minister faces multiple corruption charges

After naming former social services minister Bachtiar Chamsyah a suspect in an unlawful procurement of sewing machines and cattle, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has implicated him in a new graft case.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said Saturday Bachtiar had been declared a suspect in the corruption of sarong procurement, which took place from 2006 and 2008.

Johan refused to go into details, saying investigators were calculating state losses from the graft case.

He said Bachtiar would be charged with involvement in the three corruption cases.

KPK has found evidence that Bachtiar, who is a member of the United Development Party, directly appointed a company to procure the sewing machines which cost Rp 51 billion in 2004. Bachtiar is also accused of appointing a company to import 2,800 Australian cows worth Rp 19 billion also in 2004.

State losses from the two graft cases are estimated at Rp 27.6 billion.