Community Rights Affected by Corruption of BNPB Standby Funds

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The corruption case involving the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is seen as not only detrimental to the state finances.

Khresna Bayu Sangka, head of the Public Transparency and Anticorruption Study Center (Pustapako) at Sebelas Maret University (UNS), stated that this corruption also poses a threat to the rights of the public.

"The issue is not that simple, as the losses to the community are not just financial. There are human rights, social rights, environmental rights, and various other rights that can be affected by corruption,” Khresna told Kompas.com.

The so-called standby funds, Khresna explained, are budget allocations intended to assist victims and manage disasters.

Therefore, he emphasized the need for restoring the rights of those affected by corruption, not just enforcing the law.

Khresna believes that restoring the rights of individuals harmed by corrupt practices requires serious attention.

This effort should include mechanisms for restoring rights as well as the potential provision of aid or long-term guarantees for those impacted by disasters.

"Thus, the restoration of public rights must be a concern for all parties, not just law enforcement," Khresna added.

He also urged the government to strengthen regulations and oversight systems for managing disaster funds.

According to him, the regulations must anticipate potential budget misuse from the outset.

He stressed that expedited disaster response must go hand-in-hand with accountability principles.

Moreover, effective oversight is needed to ensure that all disaster management authorities and budgets are utilized according to the community's needs and are not misused.

ANTARA FOTO/Fauzan Gabriel Purwaka Sigit (left), the BNPB's Subdirectorate Head for Assistance Management and Emergency, along with Bima Setiawan (right), a private sector participant who is the brother of BNPB Head Lt. Gen. TNI Suharyanto, and private individual Syifa Nrika Ghifarian (second from the left) walking in detention vests after being interrogated at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (14/10/2026). The KPK detained five suspects, namely BNPB commitment-making official Gabriel Purwaka Sigit, Bima Setiawan, Richard Erlangga, as well as two private individuals, Gery Prasetiawan and Syifa Nrika Ghifarian, in a corruption case within the BNPB revealed through a Jakarta Operation (OTT).

Corruption in BNPB Standby Funds

It is known that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed allegations of conflicts of interest and bribery in the procurement of goods and services using standby funds at BNPB.

During a press conference at the KPK Red and White Building in Jakarta on Friday (16/10/2026), investigators disclosed allegations related to procurement valued at Rp 148 billion involving companies affiliated with Bima Setiawan, the brother and advisor of former BNPB Head Suharyanto.

The KPK also uncovered allegations of billions of rupiah in cash received by BNPB officials and the seizure of evidence valued at approximately Rp 5.47 billion.

Five individuals have been named as suspects in this case, including Bima Setiawan, BNPB advisor Richard Erlangga, BNPB Head of Assistance Management and Emergency Funding Gabriel Purwaka Sigit, along with two private individuals, Gery Prasetiawan and Syifa Nrika Ghifarian.

KPK’s Acting Director of Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein explained that this case is linked to the use of standby funds for managing various disasters, ranging from forest and land fires in Kalimantan and Papua, earthquakes in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to floods in Aceh and Sumatra.