JAKARTA: Indonesia’s energy minister was named a suspect yesterday in a corruption case, the third member of the Cabinet to become embroiled in a graft scandal in recent times.
Jero Wacik stands accused of extortion of state funds and abuse of power, and is suspected of swelling his ministry’s budget by almost 10 billion rupiah through illicit activities, the powerful anti-corruption agency said.
“He demanded people in the ministry carry out several things so he could get bigger operational funds than budgeted,” said Bambang Widjojanto, a senior official from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
These included collecting kickbacks and claiming money for arranging fictitious meetings, said Widjojanto.
The KPK, which has won huge popularity by doggedly pursuing corruption suspects in one of the world’s most graft-ridden countries, set its sights on Wacik last year after the head of the main energy regulator was found to have accepted kickbacks.
Rudi Rubiandini was caught red-handed at his home in the capital Jakarta being handed stacks of US and Singapore dollars, and was jailed in April for seven years.
AFP
