Pro-Jokowi politician held on bribery allegation

JAKARTA • Indonesia's anti-graft agency has named a prominent Islamist politician backing President Joko Widodo's re-election campaign as a suspect in a bribery case, an investigator said.

United Development Party (PPP) chairman Muhammad Romahurmuziy had allegedly accepted bribes to get two people high-ranking jobs at the religious affairs ministry, Mr Laode Syarif, deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), told a news briefing yesterday.

Mr Romahurmuziy was arrested last Friday, weeks before legislative and presidential elections set for April 17, when Mr Joko, also known as Jokowi, will seek re-election.

Noting that 60 per cent of cases handled by the anti-graft agency were related to politics, Mr Syarif reminded the public in the run-up to the elections that they should "vote for those who are honest".

As part of the bribery investigation, the KPK has confiscated 156.8 million rupiah (S$14,900).

In a handwritten letter distributed to the media by the KPK, Mr Romahurmuziy said he was framed and that the case was politically motivated. "This is the risk of becoming a spokesman for a coalition that wants to make Indonesia to be led by a nationalist, moderately religious leader," he wrote.

KPK said its investigation adhered to anti-corruption laws.

PPP, which controls 7 per cent of Parliament, is expected to canvass the conservative Muslim vote for Mr Joko, whose religious credentials have been attacked by opponents.

The case would not affect Mr Joko's electability, said his campaign manager Erick Thohir last Friday, while urging people to respect the presumption of innocence during the legal process.

Several recent polls showed Mr Joko holding a double-digit lead over his challenger, retired general Prabowo Subianto.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 17, 2019, with the headline Pro-Jokowi politician held on bribery allegation. Subscribe