REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- State electricity company (PT PLN) President Director Sofyan Basir was suspended by the State Enterprises Ministry following the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) implicating him as graft suspect over Riau-1 thermal power plant (PLTU) construction contract.

"I have come to know of Basir's suspension by PLN's board of commissioners. We currently await an official letter from the board of commissioners today," Imam Apriyanto Putro, the ministry's secretary, remarked here on Thursday.

Basir's suspension falls in line with PT PLN's articles of association, he revealed. "PLN is a large strategic firm meeting the electricity demands of the people and different types of industries. Hence, (his) suspension was called for," he explained.

Putro noted that the other development was the appointment of PT PLN's human capital management director Muhammad Ali as acting PLN president director as a replacement to Basir. "In accordance with the articles of association, RUPS (the general meeting of the company) has a 30-day time limit for appointing a definitive president director and in the interim, Mr Muhammad Ali will serve as acting president director," he revealed.

The anti-graft body has named Basir, who is tied to the project, as a suspect in the case on Tuesday (Apr 23). The KPK has accused Basir of accepting a bribe from Blackgold Natural Resources shareholder Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo in connection with a cooperation contract for constructing the PLTU Riau-1.

"The KPK has got its hands on sufficient preliminary evidence on the alleged involvement of other parties in the alleged graft case related to a cooperation contract for constructing PLTU Riau-1," KPK Deputy Chairman Saut Situmorang stated.

Basir is on the receiving end of accusations over plotting with or assisting an expelled House Commission VII member of the Golkar Party, identified by her initials as EMS, and her colleagues in alleged receipt of gratification or assurance from Kotjo over the cooperation contract.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has lent his full support to the KPK's move to name the suspended PT PLN president director as a graft suspect in the case. "We should fully authorize the anti-graft body for settling legal matters, particularly related to corruption," the president emphasized after opening and observing the International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) 2019 at the Jakarta Convention Center on Wednesday.

The president decidedly stayed mum on case-related details, albeit calling on all parties to fully authorize the Commission to solve legal problems, particularly connected to graft.

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