Indonesia Deputy Minister Arrested as Part of Anti-graft Probe, Agency Says

LAW & COURT - JAKARTA. Indonesia's anti graft agency has arrested the country's deputy manpower minister and 13 other people in connection with an investigation into alleged extortion, the agency said on Thursday.

Deputy minister Immanuel Ebenezer, a member of President Prabowo Subianto's party Gerindra, became the first member of Prabowo's cabinet to be arrested for graft.

Prabowo, who was sworn in last October, has campaigned against corruption in and out of his government.

Fitroh Rohcahyanto, the deputy head of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission, told Reuters that Immanuel's arrest was related to an investigation into allegations of irregularities in the ministry's issue of safety permits. He provided no other details.

It was not clear if the deputy minister has been charged with any offence. Reuters was not immediately able to contact Immanuel's lawyer.

A spokesperson for the agency said another 13 people had also been taken into custody in connection with the case.

Yassierli, Indonesia's manpower minister who goes by one name like many Indonesians, told reporters on Thursday that Immanuel signed a document stating his willingness to resign if he is proven guilty, vowing improvements on safety permit issuance and calling the case "a huge blow" to the ministry.

Immanuel would be immediately replaced if found guilty, said Prasetyo Hadi, a presidential spokesperson.

Last year, Indonesia was ranked at 99 out of 180 countries on global graft watchdog Transparency International's corruption perception index.