Ex-minister, senior politician among 26 graft suspects

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named on Wednesday 26 former and current House of Representatives lawmakers new suspects in an alleged bribery that marked the election of Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor in 2004.

Deputy KPK chief Bibit Samad Rianto said the anti-graft commission would not let any single suspect, including those who offered the bribes, slip from its fingers.

“We once classified the suspects as actors who initiated, distributed and received the bribes, those who only received the money and those who were active behind the scene. But this time around we will crush them all,” Bibit said.

Among the new suspects were former National Development Planning minister Paskah Suzetta, who was Golkar senior politician when the alleged bribery took place, and senior Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle politician Panda Nababan.

Bibit said KPK investigators were seeking more evidence to implicate seven more former House’s finance and banking commission.

However, Bibit refused to comment on whether the KPK would implicate Nunun Nurbaeti, the wife of Prosperous Justice Party politician and former National Police chief Adang Daradjatun, who according to the court provided the bribe money.

“We act based on solid evidence. If you have information [concerning Nunun] please let us know,” Bibit said.

The Corruption Court found four former House lawmakers guilty for their role in the bribery case, which centers on provision of travel checks to members of the House’s banking commission in exchange for their vote for Miranda Swaray Goeltom as the central bank’s second highest official.