Indonesian minister arrested over embezzlement of Covid-19 aid funds

Indonesia's anti-graft agency (KPK) officials show evidences of a million-dollar bribery case of goods to be distributed as COVID-19 social assistance packages, which named Indonesia's Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara as a suspect, during a press conference at Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 6, 2020 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. - Reuters

JAKARTA, Dec 6 (dpa): Indonesia's social affairs minister was arrested on Sunday for allegedly embezzling more than 1 million dollars in Covid-19 aid funds, the country's anti-corruption agency said.

Juliari Batubara and two of his subordinates are suspected to have accepted 17 billion rupiah (US$1.2 million) in kickbacks from companies appointed to supply food aid packages to Indonesians affected by the coronavirus pandemic, said Firli Bahuri, chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).