KPK suspects energy ministry involved in extortion

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed new details on Tuesday about its findings concerning suspected substantial corruption at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry that allegedly implicates the current minister, ruling Democratic Party politician Jero Wacik, The Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday

Jero, who will resign from his post this month after being elected as lawmaker for the next five years, has been in the spotlight since the antigraft body disclosed he might have been involved in extortion, allegedly abusing his power since assuming the ministerial post in 2011.

?Our preliminary investigation is not yet finished or conclusive, but so far we sense there are practices at the ministry that can be categorized as extortion,? KPK chairman Abraham Samad said in Jakarta on Tuesday as quoted by The Post.

The KPK is investigating four separate graft cases plaguing the ministry and the upstream authority SKK Migas as well as House of Representatives Commission VII on energy and natural mineral resources, which oversees the ministry.

The KPK emphasized that its latest investigation focused on looking at Jero?s possible role in instructing the ministry?s secretary-general, Waryono Karno, to adjust the ministry?s budget to cover up graft-linked procurements worth billions of rupiah between 2011 and 2013.

Jero and his wife Triesna Wacik have been questioned in the case, but he maintained his and his wife?s innocence.

Asked whether corruption allegedly committed by Jero was politically motivated in order to fund Democratic Party activities, Abraham said the KPK?s investigation has yet to find any evidence to prove such allegations.

?I think this is more about corruption motivated by personal greed [rather than politically motivated],? Abraham said, adding that graft suspects tended to live lavish lifestyles that led them to engage in corruption to satisfy their needs.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said on Tuesday that the antigraft body had held a case presentation on Jero.

A case presentation or expose is the phase of investigation in which KPK leaders and investigators decide whether an ongoing investigation has found enough evidence to name someone a graft suspect.

?We have conducted a case expose on JW. I cannot disclose anything now about the result. I will let the spokesman announce it, probably by the end of the week at the latest,? Bambang said, referring to the minister by his initials. (*)