Indonesia’s disaster chief’s brother among five arrested over alleged graft amid haze crisis
Indonesian authorities have arrested five individuals, including the brother of the national disaster management chief, for alleged corruption involving emergency relief funds. The investigation focuses on the misuse of procurement funds during a period of critical forest fire response.
Why it matters
Corruption in disaster management agencies can severely undermine a country's ability to respond to environmental crises and public emergencies.
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s anti-graft agency has arrested five people, including Bima Setyawan, the younger brother of the country’s disaster management chief, over alleged corruption involving emergency relief funds, as forest fires blanket parts of South-East Asia in haze and put pressure on the country’s disaster response efforts.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained the suspects on Oct 14, a day after carrying out raids in Jakarta and surrounding areas, over suspected irregularities in the procurement of goods and services at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
KPK chairman Setyo Budiyanto said investigators were examining indications of collusion between agency officials and private companies over the disbursement and use of emergency funds.
“There are indications of arrangements being made, particularly over the disbursement and use of funds, some of which were misused by certain individuals for personal gain,” he told reporters on Oct 14.
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