Former Indonesian minister of tourism resigns after named a suspect in corruption case

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Written by Nell Alcantara

Presidential spokesman, Julian Pasha, has confirmed to the State News Agency Antara that a letter of resignation signed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jero Wacik, is in the hands of

Presidential spokesman, Julian Pasha, has confirmed to the State News Agency Antara that a letter of resignation signed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jero Wacik, is in the hands of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

According to Pasha, Wacik’s resignation took immediate effect from Friday, September 5, 2014.

Pasha said that the question of a successor, even on an ad interim basis to serve the remaining 15 days at the head of the ministry, has yet to be decided.

With the inauguration of Joko Widodo on October 20, 2014 as Indonesia’s 7th President, the entire current cabinet steps down on that date.Those elected to legislative seats must resign by September 20th.

Julian Pasha evaded direct questions on whether or not Jero Wacik, just named as a suspect in a corruption case at his ministry by the National Anti-graft Agency (KPK), had met directly with the President prior to tendering his resignation. The KPK alleges that Wacik, a Balinese and former Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, extorted Rp. 9.9 billion (US$860,000) from suppliers assigned to the Ministry.

Wacik was absent from a full cabinet meeting held in Jakarta on Friday, Setember 5, 2014.The State News Agency Antara reports that Wacik’s name plate was placed on the cabinet table before being abruptly removed by a presidential staff member.

It is uncertain if Wacik, elected to a seat in the National House of Representatives (DPR-RI), will assume his legislative role during the coming legal process to determine his guilt or innocence on the corruption charges that could, if he is found guilty, send him to prison for 20 years.

The case against Wacik is believed to be connected with the arrest of Rudi Rubianti, who heads the SKKMigas agency, in August 2013 for taking bribes from a Singapore-based energy trader. Later in the same case, a close aide of Wacik secretary general Waryono was apprehended with US$200,000 in cash in his office.

In his trial, Rubianti named Sutan Bhatoegana, a Democratic Party member in the DPR-RI as demanding cash kickbacks in connection with the DSKKMigas tendering process.

Rudi was sentenced to seven years in prison while an execcutive of the Singapore oil trader got 3 years behind bars. Waryono and Sutan are waiting their trial dates,

President SBY, who heads the Democratic Party of which Wacik is a member, made anti-corruption a centerpiece of his presidency. All the members of his Cabinet, including Wacik, signed an “integrity pact” pledging corruption would form no part of their ministerial assignment.

Wacik becomes the latest Democrat official embroiled in a corruption scandal. Several top officials from party chaired by Yudhoyono have either been jailed or are standing or awaiting trial in a range of graft cases.

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