BNPB Says It Has No Information on Suharyanto’s Possible Replacement

JAKARTA — Berton Panjaitan, acting head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre, said he had received no official information about a change in the agency’s leadership amid ongoing legal developments. The BNPB is currently facing an alleged corruption case involving disaster funds being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

“We have not received this information,” he said when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday (15 October 2026).

He stressed, however, that the agency fully respects the prerogative of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. “In principle, we fully respect the President’s prerogative to choose and appoint the head of the BNPB,” he said.

He said appointing the agency’s head was entirely the President’s authority and should be respected in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations. He therefore hoped the public would not speculate or link the matter to recent developments.

“For us, the most important thing is to ensure that disaster response continues to run optimally, public services are not disrupted, and all BNPB personnel continue to work professionally in carrying out the state’s mandate,” Berton said.

Reports that BNPB head Suharyanto could be replaced have circulated widely in social media posts and have been linked to the KPK’s questioning of 14 people. One of those questioned was Rustian, the BNPB’s secretary-general.

Rustian was questioned as a witness. The KPK has detained five suspects after intensive questioning of people caught up in a sting operation at the BNPB on Tuesday (13 October 2026).

One is BS, Suharyanto’s younger sibling and an expert adviser to the BNPB chief. According to information gathered, the other four suspects are GPS, head of the BNPB sub-directorate for emergency aid and funds management; RE, an expert adviser to the BNPB chief; and SNG and GP, who are private-sector individuals.