Idrus Marham Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Corruption In Today's Memory, 23 April 2019

Chairman of the Golkar Party Bahlil Lahadalia (left) and Deputy Chairperson of the Golkar Party Idrus Marham at the 2025 Golkar Party National Working Meeting at the Golkar Party DPP Office, Jakarta, February 8, 2025. (ANTARA/Aprillio Akbar)

JAKARTA Memories of today, six years ago, April 23, 2019, the former Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Idrus Marham was sentenced to three years in prison. Idrus is considered legal and convincing to commit a criminal act of corruption committed together.

Previously, Idrus stumbled upon the case of alleged bribery of the 35 thousand megawatt power plant project, PLTU Riau-1 in Riau Province. The case caused a stir. He then resigned from his position as Social Minister. Then, Idrus was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Political elite corruption cases often adorn the news in the mass media. The news made the country's pessimistic tone of caring about the lives of many people. Corruption cases are not even carried out by the lower class. However, the class of political party officials and ministers did it.

Take an example in the work of Golkar officials, Idrus Marham. Idrus was originally chosen by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as Minister of Social Affairs in January 2018. The hope is that Idrus will be able to increase the lives of the Indonesian people.

Recently, Idrus' past ulcers emerged. Idrus stumbled upon a corruption case. Idrus in his capacity as General Chair of the Golkar Party is suspected of having received a gift or promise from Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo in 2017.

Budi himself is a Blackgold Natural Resources Limited shareholder who in fact will have the mandate to build the Riau-1 PLTU. The news of Idrus' involvement smoothed out the appointment of a prominent mandate.

The involvement was found by the KPK from a number of new facts: witnesses, letters, and appointments. Idrus himself smelled that he would be arrested by the KPK. This condition made him immediately resign from the position of Minister of Social Affairs on August 24, 2018.

In the evening, it was the KPK's turn to name Idrus as a corruption suspect. He officially became a KPK detainee on August 31, 2018. This determination made a scene throughout Indonesia. Idrus is considered the first minister of the work cabinet to become a corruption suspect.

The announcement of Idrus was faster than the KPK, which stated that he was a suspect in the evening. The KPK suspects that Idrus has received an appointment of USD 1.5 million from the owner of BlackGold Asia Resources Pte Ltd, Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo, if he helps his company get the RIau-1 PLTU project worth USD 900 million.

"At that time, he was the acting chairman of the Golkar Party. This case involved a close person to Idrus, Eni Maulani Saragih, who is also a politician in the banyan party," said Hussein Abri Dongoran in his article in Tempo magazine entitled Former Minister of Social Affairs, Idrus Marham: I Didn't Receive Money (2018).

Idrus' case was immediately tried at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court. The trial journey finally reached its peak on April 23, 2019. The panel of judges then found Idrus legally guilty and convinced him of committing a criminal act of corruption.

For this reason, Idrus was then sentenced to three years in prison. The decision made Idrus think again about filing an appeal. This condition is because the sentence he received is not relatively large, only three years.

"The defendant Idrus Marham was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Rp. 150 million, provided that if the fine was not paid, it would be replaced with imprisonment for two months," said Idrus' decision as quoted on the BBC Indonesia website, April 23, 2019.