Indonesia's former health minister detained for graft case

JAKARTA LIFE'S STYLE. Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday detained former Health Minister Achmad Sujudi for graft case, the Kompas daily reported on Saturday.

The arrest was conducted after Sujudi had been determined as graft suspect on May 20, 2009 on the health equipment procurement in 2008 at the ministry. In the 190 billion rupiah (19 million U.S. dollars) project, Indonesia had allegedly lost 91.5 billion rupiah (about 9.15 million dollars).

Two other suspects were arrested in the case, namely Gunawan Pranoto, the former president director of PT Kimia Raya Tbk, the largest pharmaceutical company, and Rinaldi Jusuf, former director of PT Rifa Jaya Mulia, the ministry's partner company. They had been determined as suspects since early March 2009.

KPK's spokesperson Johan Budi said that the suspects were allegedly believed of taking profit by violating the law. They were suspected marking price up while carrying out the ministry's project for eastern Indonesia.

Achmad Sujudi served as Indonesia's health minister from Aug. 10, 2001 to Oct. 21, 2004.

Source: Xinhua english.people.com.c