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Indonesian minister arrested for alleged embezzlement of COVID-19 relief fund
Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara and his subordinates had purportedly accepted roughly Rp 12 billion (US$582,020) in bribes from a number of suppliers during the first wave of the ministry’s aid distribution.
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Moving toward inclusivity: Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara pushes the wheelchair of a woman with a disability during a morning walk event in Jakarta. The event, held by the Social Affairs Ministry on Sunday, celebrated International Disability Day.
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ocial Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara has been named a suspect in a reported graft case involving the distribution of COVID-19 social aid, making him the second Cabinet member to have been detained for alleged corruption in less than two weeks, after Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician was placed in KPK custody on Sunday afternoon following about 10 hours of questioning.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri said Juliari, his subordinates, Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi Wahyono, had purportedly accepted roughly Rp 12 billion (US$582,020) in bribes from a number of suppliers during the first wave of the ministry’s aid distribution earlier this year.
The minister had allegedly instructed Matheus and Adi to handpick and strike distribution deals entailing commission fees with several suppliers, including Ardian IM and Harry Sidabuke, as well as PT RPI – a private company allegedly owned by Matheus – for a period of between May and November, according to Firli.
Matheus, Adi, Ardian and Harry were also named suspects in the graft.
“It started with the distribution of COVID-19 social aid consisting of daily supplies from the Social Affairs Ministry, which was worth Rp 5.9 billion with a total of 272 contracts, over the course of two [waves],” Firli said during a press conference on Sunday morning.
“[Matheus and [Adi] had agreed on a Rp 10,000 fee for each aid package costing Rp 300,000.”
