23, 2020, shows Indonesia’s social affairs minister Juliari
Batubara delivering a report in parliament in Jakarta. Batubara was
arrested on December 6, 2020, for allegedly taking 1.2 million USD
in bribes linked to food aid for those hit by the coronavirus
pandemic. PHOTO: Bambang Tri / AFP
Indonesia’s Social Affairs Minister was arrested on
Sunday for allegedly taking $1.2million in bribes linked to food
aid for those hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Juliari Batubara was named as a suspect after Indonesian
anti-corruption agents seized suitcases, backpacks, and envelopes
stuffed with cash equivalent to $1.2 million in a sting operation
on Saturday.
He turned himself in on Sunday at the anti-corruption agency’s
headquarters, becoming the second minister in President Joko
Widodo’s government to be arrested over alleged graft in recent
weeks.
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“That’s the people’s money… it’s aid urgently needed to help
during Covid-19 and for the national economic recovery,” Widodo
said after Batubara’s arrest, vowing he would not protect any
corrupt officials.
Indonesia’s economy — Southeast Asia’s biggest — has been hit
hard by the pandemic, and the government has rolled out aid
programmes such as food packages to help those in need.
Batubara has been accused of involvement in a bribery scheme
linked to one such aid project.
Officials have alleged that he received more than $1 million
from two contractors that were appointed to supply basic food
packages for people affected by the pandemic.
For each package, Batubara would receive 10,000 rupiah, or
$0.71, officials alleged.
If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a
fine of one billion rupiah ($70,000).
AFP