Indonesia’s anti-corruption watchdog has accused the head of the state-owned electricity distribution monopoly of facilitating bribery. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) indicted Sofyan Basir, the suspended chief executive of electricity provider PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) and made links to a case that has led to the arrest of nine people, including the ex-social affairs minister and another member of parliament. The KPK alleges Sofyan Basir arranged meetings between PLN’s board and two politicians and a businessman who have been found guilty of bribery. According to Mamik, project coordinator for Transparency Indonesia’s mining programme, the KPK “suspects Sofyan Basir ordered one of the directors at PLN to arrange a power purchase agreement between PLN, Blackgold and China Huadian Engineering.” Environmentalists and campaigners now want the KPK to dig deeper into the role of China Huadian Engineering, which is a project partner in the US$900 million Riau-1 power plant on the biodiverse island of Sumatra.

Posted by

Eco-Business