Indonesia's PLN chief named suspect in power project graft case

CORRUPTION ERADICATION COMMISSION - JAKARTA. The chief executive of Indonesian state electricity utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has been named a suspect in a graft case related to a power project, the country's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Tuesday.

The KPK suspects that the president director of PLN , Sofyan Basir, "accepted the promise" of a bribe, or assisted other suspects to receive bribes, related to a construction contract for a power plant in Riau, KPK deputy chief Saut Situmorang told a televised briefing.

Two politicians have been given jail sentences for their role in the case.

KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said the agency had evidence of repeated meetings between Basir and the other suspects and that under the criminal code a person could be made a suspect in a case for accepting the promise of a bribe.

Basir, who previously led one of Indonesia's largest banks, could not be reached for comment by telephone.

He denied any link to the case when authorities raided his house looking for evidence in July last year.

PLN officials were not immediately available for comment.

Rida Mulyana, director general for electricity at the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, said the legal process should be respected and the ministry would continue to prioritise service to the people.

"We hope this will not create too much disruption to future electricity projects," Mulyana said in a text message to Reuters.

The investigation is the latest in a number of high-profile graft investigations under President Joko Widodo, who has sought to clean up the image of Indonesia’s energy sector after a series of scandals implicating government official.