Palace Assures Non-Interference in ATR/BPN Corruption Case

The Presidential Palace has confirmed that President Prabowo Subianto will not interfere in the legal process related to the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) hand-in-hand operation targeting officials within the Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN). This stance, according to Deputy Minister of State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto, applies when government officials are entangled in legal issues. "So he will not want to interfere with this and that," Bambang stated at the parliament complex in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara on Wednesday, September 16. He urged the public to await the outcomes of the KPK's investigation, including who will be held accountable. Regarding allegations linking the case to Minister of ATR/BPN Nusron Wahid, Bambang noted that these remain allegations and should be viewed based on the investigation's development. "We just wait for the KPK," he said. The KPK had previously conducted a hand-in-hand operation concerning alleged bribery within the ATR/BPN Ministry. In this case, the KPK has named eight individuals as suspects. Four of them are former Kebumen Regent Arif Sugiyanto, Golkar Party DPP Chairman Fahd El Fouz alias Fahd Arafiq, Erwin, and Muhammad Fakhry. The KPK suspects these four are close associates of Minister Nusron Wahid. Acting Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein previously identified Erwin and Muhammad Fakhry as private individuals suspected of having a fiduciary relationship with the minister. Their suspected connection and roles are still under investigation. The palace reiterated its commitment not to interfere and to fully hand over the case handling to the KPK.