Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency (KPK) has named Hasto Kristiyanto, a close aide to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and the secretary-general of the country’s main opposition party, as a suspect in a bribery case, Bloomberg reports.
The move adds another layer of political tension in the country.
The KPK alleges that Kristiyanto was involved in bribing a former election commission official. The alleged payment is linked to the replacement of a lawmaker in parliament and obstruction of an investigation into a fugitive connected to Kristiyanto’s party.
This investigation, first reported by local media outlets such as Detik, surfaces just weeks after Megawati’s Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) expelled former President Joko Widodo for supporting Prabowo Subianto’s successful presidential bid. Despite discussions, PDI-P has remained outside Prabowo’s coalition government.
The announcement of Kristiyanto’s suspect status also comes shortly after Budiyanto’s inauguration and the appointment of new supervisory board members at the KPK, all of whom were appointed by Widodo.
Hasto Kristiyanto has not yet commented on the allegations. However, PDI-P has strongly denounced the case as politically motivated.
The case also highlights the increasingly strained relationship between Megawati and current President Prabowo Subianto. Megawati has publicly criticized Prabowo’s signature free lunch program, questioning its feasibility. Additionally, her daughter, Puan Maharani, who serves as the parliamentary speaker, has voiced opposition to a planned value-added tax increase, calling for its review.
