Former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
JAKARTA (Bloomberg): Indonesia’s anti-graft agency has identified a close aide of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri as a suspect in a bribery case.
The agency, known as KPK, named Hasto Kristiyanto, who is also the secretary-general of Indonesia’s main opposition party, as suspect in a case of bribing a former election commission official.
The alleged payment was made in relation to the replacement of a lawmaker in parliament and obstructing an investigation into a fugitive linked to the party.
"We will continue to investigate the case and examine the roles of all parties deemed to have actively participated, holding them accountable as necessary,” said KPK’s new Chairman Setyo Budiyanto at a press conference in Jakarta.
The latest investigation, first reported by Detik and few other local media, emerged weeks after Megawati’s Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, expelled former Indonesian president Joko Widodo for backing Prabowo Subianto’s successful presidential bid. PDI-P has not joined Prabowo’s coalition government despite months of discussion.
The move also came days after Budiyanto’s inauguration as the new chairman and the installment of the agency’s new supervisory board members, whose appointments were made by Widodo.
Hasto didn’t respond to a request for comment but PDI-P has described the case as politically motivated. Tessa Mahardika Sugiarto, a KPK spokesperson, said the agency will issue a statement.
"This kind of pressure, including threats of imprisonment against our party member, only strengthens our resolve to protect democracy,” said Chico Hakim, a PDI-P spokesperson.
The case also underscores a strained relationship between Megawati and Prabowo.
Megawati publicly criticized Prabowo’s flagship free lunch program by questioning its feasibility. Her daughter and parliamentary speaker, Puan Maharani, had opposed a planned value-added tax increase, urging for a review.
(Updated with official announcement by the antigraft agency.)
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
