Indonesia anti-graft agency chief named as suspect in corruption case

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s police this week named the chief of the country’s anti-corruption agency, Mr Firli Bahuri, as a suspect for alleged extortion or receiving kickbacks, another setback in the once-prized government institution.

Mr Firli, a former police inspector-general, is a suspect in alleged extortion of money from Mr Syahrul Yasin Limpo, the former agriculture minister who was arrested after being named a suspect in a corruption case in October, the authorities have said.

Mr Ade Safri Simanjuntak, a Jakarta police official, told reporters on Nov 22 that there has been “sufficient evidence to name... the KPK chief as a suspect in a corruption case in the form of extortion”.

The Corruption Eradication Commission is known by its Indonesian initials, KPK.

Mr Ade said a state official extorted money at the Agriculture Ministry from 2020 to 2023.

The authorities confiscated exchange transaction documents from Singapore and US dollars worth 7.4 billion rupiah (S$636,000) from raids at two locations, he added.

Mr Firli did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has not been arrested.

He said during a press conference on Nov 20 prior to being a named a suspect that he has “never extorted anyone, and I’ve never been involved in a bribery... with anyone”.

KPK did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Joko Widodo said on Nov 23 “to respect the process of law” when asked about Mr Firli being named a suspect.

Mr Firli was named the KPK chief in 2019, around the time critics said changes to the law governing the agency had weakened it, triggering a series of “save the KPK” protests.

KPK has prosecuted hundreds of politicians, officials and businessmen since its formation in 2002, becoming one of the country’s most respected agencies. REUTERS