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ational Mandate Party (PAN) patron Amien Rais, an icon of the Reformation era, has returned to the national spotlight after he was accused during a recent hearing of a corruption trial of receiving funds in a graft case involving the procurement of medical equipment in 2005.

Amien, a prominent critic of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo despite being a member of a party that is part of the government coalition, was alleged to have accepted a total of Rp 600 million (US$45,072) from embezzled funds in the project.

The defendant in the case, which incurred Rp 6 billion in state losses, is former health minister Siti Fadilah Supari, who may face six years in prison and a fine of Rp 500 million should she be found guilty of corruption, according to the indictment.

During the reading of their sentence demand on Wednesday, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors at the Jakarta Corruption Court accused Amien of accepting the funds in six installments throughout 2007.

Besides Amien, former PAN chairman Soetrisno Bachir was also implicated in the case, allegedly accepting Rp 250 million from the embezzled funds on
Dec. 26, 2006.

“There was a flow of funds from Mitra Medidua, the supplier of PT Indofarma Tbk, in the procurement of medical equipment to related parties in PAN, namely Sutrisno Bachir, Nuki Syahrun, Amien Rais, Tia Nastiti, as well as the Sutrisno Bachir Foundation [SBF] itself,” prosecutor Iskandar Marwanto said on Wednesday.

PT Indofarma Tbk allegedly received funds from the Health Ministry after it was appointed by Siti in 2005 to handle the procurement of medical equipment for the Center for Health Problems (PPMK) in anticipation of a health emergency (KLB).

According to Iskandar, the company then passed the sum on to its supplier PT Mitra Medidua, who then sent a total of Rp 791.5 million in two separate transfers to a bank account belonging to SBF secretary Yurida Adlanini. Siti instructed the company to “help” Nuki and PAN as well.

“Yurida’s bank account was used to hold the [embezzled funds], which were deliberately placed with [Yurida’s] personal funds to hide their origin and usage. This is proven because neither Yurido nor Nuki made financial reports on the final transaction,” he added.

Siti is also said to have accepted bribes amounting to Rp 1.9 billion from the finance director of PT Graha Ismaya Sri Wayuningsih in the form of 20 traveler’s checks.

She allegedly accepted another Rp 1.3 billion from PT Graha Ismaya president director Masrizal Achmad Syarif in the form of 61 traveler’s checks.

Siti reportedly accepted the funds in exchange for changing the budget for the procurement of medical equipment, and for appointing PT Graha Ismaya as a supplier.

Separately, Amien, said he “happily accepted” the accusations leveled at him, calling them a “blessing in disguise.” He said he would hold a press conference at his home in South Jakarta on Friday to discuss the allegations.