Indonesia Highlights: Govt Official Arrested over Alleged Covid-19 Social Aid Graft | No Change to Electricity Prices Next Year | No Mask, No Ballot

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian anti-graft body continues to arrest officials for alleged involvement in corruption cases.

The latest official who was apprehended by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) serves as Commitment Making Official at the Ministry of Social Affairs. Along with other perpetrators, the official was brought to the KPK headquarters for further investigation.

The perpetrators were accused of receiving gifts from the vendors for the Social Assistance Program, which aims to alleviate the burden of the people amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In other news, the government will keep power tariffs unchanged next year. This decision will affect households, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), small businesses, small industries, and social activities.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

1. Govt Official Arrested over Alleged Covid-19 Social Assistance Graft Case in Indonesia

Dokumentasi/KPK The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri (center) attends the G20 Anti-Corruption Ministers Meeting which is held virtually on Thursday, October 22, 2020.

Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has apprehended an official at the Ministry of Social Affairs and several other people for alleged bribery in the Covid-19 social assistance case.

KPK chairman Firli Bahuri confirmed on Saturday, December 5 that the official and other people were arrested during a sting operation.

“Yes, the KPK investigators have indeed arrested the perpetrators in a raid from Friday to Saturday at 2am local time,” Firli said in a statement.

“The officer serves as Commitment Making Official (PPK) for the Social Assistance Program at the Ministry of Social Affairs,” he added.

Firli explained that the official is suspected of receiving gifts from the vendors for the Social Assistance Program to alleviate the burden of the people amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the KPK investigators have brought them to the anti-graft body headquarters in South Jakarta.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/12/05/231247774/govt-official-arrested-over-alleged-covid-19-social-assistance-graft-case-in

2. Indonesia to Keep Electricity Prices Unchanged Next Year

KOMPAS.com/NURWAHIDAH An illustration of employees of state electricity utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN).

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) said on Friday that the electricity prices for 13 non-subsidized customers will be unchanged in the January-March 2021 period.

“Even though there have been changes in macroeconomic parameters in the last three months, the government has decided that there will be no changes in the electricity prices,” Agung Pribadi, a spokesperson for the ESDM Ministry, said in a statement on December 4.

Agung went on to add that the power tariffs for 25 other subsidized customers have also not changed. He assured that these 25 customer groups will still be given power subsidies. They include micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), small businesses, small industries, and social activities.

“The government provides social protection due to the Covid-19 pandemic by giving a discount on electricity rate for subsidized 450 volt-ampere (VA) and 900 VA households, as well as 450 VA small business customers and 450 VA small industries,” he said.

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/12/05/063957626/pemerintah-pastikan-tarif-listrik-tak-akan-naik-hingga-31-maret-2021

3. Indonesian Voters Required to Wear Masks in Polling Stations

Dok. Humas Polda Sulut Police personnel in North Sulawesi undergo rapid tests before they will be deployed to provide protection and ensure safety to the upcoming regional elections on December 9, 2020.

A member of Indonesia’s Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Mochammad Afifuddin said that voters who don’t wear masks will not be allowed to enter the polling stations in the upcoming simultaneous regional elections on December 9.

“In the case of regional elections, we have to ensure the health protocols are strictly implemented. People who come to the polling stations must obey the health protocols,” said Afif during a virtual discussion on the 2020 regional elections on Saturday, December 5.

“Can people enter the polling stations without wearing masks? No, they can’t,” he said.
However, he said those who come to the polling stations without masks will not lose their voting rights. The polling station officers should provide the masks for the voters, he said.

The regional elections are set to elect nine governors, 224 regents, and 37 mayors across the country despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/12/05/20001931/bawaslu-tidak-pakai-masker-pemilih-tak-boleh-masuk-tps.