President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo saw on Friday one of his Cabinet members resign after being named a graft suspect, inaugurating a replacement only hours afterward in the first corruption case to have rocked the inner circle of his administration.

Former social affairs minister Idrus Marham, a Golkar Party politician who once served as acting chairman of the party, delivered his resignation to Jokowi after receiving a letter informing him of the start of an investigation into him by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in relation to a graft case concerning a coal-powered power plant (PLTU) project in Riau.

The project, known as PLTU Riau-1, is part of Jokowi’s flagship 35,000 megawatt (MW) electricity procurement program that he launched when he took office almost four years ago.

The KPK has previously named two other suspects in the embezzlement case, Golkar lawmaker Eni Saragih and businessman Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo, for alleged bribery totaling Rp 6.25 billion in relation to the contract for PLTU Riau-1’s construction.

Eni was arrested last month while she was attending a party at Idrus’ house.

The antigraft body alleged that Idrus, while serving as the acting Golkar chairman and social affairs minister, along with Eni, who was deputy chairwoman of the House of Representatives’ Commission VII overseeing energy and mineral resources, accepted the money from Johannes, a shareholder in coal company Blackgold Natural Resources Limited, as part of a “commitment fee” to secure the project for the company.

The kickback was allegedly delivered in two phases: the first being a payment of Rp 4 billion in late 2017 and the second a payment of Rp 2.25 billion delivered between March and June this year.

“Idrus was the one who pushed for the signing of the power purchase agreement [PPA] between the company and state-owned electricity firm PLN, and would receive $1.5 million as a gift if the PLTU Riau 1 project was successfully [completed],” said KPK commissioner Basaria Panjaitan during a press conference on Friday night.

Idrus delivered his resignation letter to the President earlier on Friday before the KPK made its announcement on his legal status, citing his ethical and moral obligation to step down.

“First [my resignation] is to protect the dignity of the President, who is known for being a leader with a high commitment to eradicating corruption in Indonesia,” Idrus told the press at the Presidential Palace.

“As a law-abiding citizen, I fully respect the legal process at the KPK and I want to concentrate on complying with the legal procedures at the KPK in accordance with the law,” he added.

Jokowi inaugurated another Golkar politician, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, to replace Idrus in the afternoon.

“The Social Affairs Ministry has the urgent task of handling the [post-disaster management] in West Nusa Tenggara. So we decided to immediately name [Idrus’] successor,” Jokowi said after the inauguration, adding that he believed in Agus’ capacity to lead the ministry.

Agus, the son of senior politician Ginandjar Kartasasmita, has served as a Golkar lawmaker since 2004 and was the secretary of the Golkar faction at the House of Representatives. He is also listed as one of the treasurers of Jokowi’s campaign team.

Agus was once dismissed from Golkar by then-party chairman Aburizal Bakrie for supporting Jokowi in the 2014 presidential election, during which the party backed rival Prabowo Subianto. He had his membership reinstated during Golkar’s extraordinary meeting in 2016 following the party’s decision to join Jokowi’s ruling coalition.

Idrus also sent a letter to Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto, informing him of his resignation from his executive structural position within the party.

Airlangga said the party lauded Idrus’ move to resign from the Cabinet post. “[Idrus] has to prepare for the legal process,” said the politician who also serves as the industry minister.

Political observer Arie Sujito of Gadjah Mada University said that Idrus had anticipated that the KPK would name him a suspect.

He also said that Idrus’ decision to step down reflected the image of Jokowi’s cabinet as being “clean”. Golkar could also take credit for the move, as it could use it to build an image that the party was trying to clean out “bad seeds”, following the implication of several of the party’s prominent figures in recent graft cases, Arie said.

Former House speaker and party chairman Setya Novanto was found guilty in the e-ID corruption case earlier this year.

Arie added that even though several of the party’s members had been implicated in graft cases, Golkar still wielded significant influence and could attract support for Jokowi in the upcoming election. (ris)

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