PDI-P Members Barred from Leaving Country in Bribery Probe

Indonesia's Anti-Corruption Agency Bars Two Key PDI-P Members from Leaving the Country

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Indonesia has barred two key members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) from leaving the country. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into bribery allegations related to a House of Representatives seat.

The travel ban applies to PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto and central committee member Yasonna Laoly for a period of six months. Hasto is suspected of involvement in bribing former General Elections Commission commissioner Wahyu Setiawan between 2017 and 2022. Yasonna was questioned as a witness in the case last week.

Hasto is accused of assisting former PDI-P member Harun Masiku in securing a seat in the House of Representatives. This seat became vacant after the original lawmaker-elect died in March 2019. Hasto, Harun, and two other individuals are alleged to have bribed Wahyu and a former official of the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) with a total of S$19,000 and US$38,350 between December 16 and 23, 2019.

According to former KPK investigator Ronald Paul Sinyal, a significant portion of the bribe money allegedly originated from Hasto. Following the initiation of the investigation, Hasto instructed Harun to dispose of his phone and flee the country. Harun has been on the run since January 2020 and is considered a fugitive by the authorities.

The PDI-P, the largest party in Indonesia's parliament, claims that the timing of the investigation against its secretary-general is politically motivated. Party member Ronny Talapessy described it as "political terror" targeting Hasto, who was a vocal critic of former president Joko Widodo during the February presidential election.