KPK Arrests 14 in BNPB Raid over Alleged Disaster Response Fund Bribery; Rules and Uses Explained

Jakarta (VIVA) – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained 14 people in a sting operation at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said they were detained on suspicion of involvement in bribery related to procurement at the agency.

One issue drawing attention is the alleged use of emergency funds for disaster response.

“Among other things, [the alleged conduct involved] using emergency funds for disaster management,” Budi Prasetyo told reporters, as quoted on Wednesday (14 October 2026).

What are emergency funds, and what is their legal basis?

Under Government Regulation No. 22 of 2008 on Disaster Funding and Management of Disaster Aid, emergency funds are funds kept available and set aside by the Government for use during a disaster emergency response, until the emergency response period ends.

The legal basis for these funds is also set out in Law No. 24 of 2007 on Disaster Management. Article 6(f) provides for disaster-management budget allocations in the form of emergency funds.

The legal basis is further detailed in Article 6(2), which states that emergency funds used during an emergency response are provided by the Government in the BNPB budget. The sources of emergency funds are also governed by Articles 5(1) and 5(3) of Government Regulation No. 22 of 2008 on Disaster Funding and Management of Disaster Aid.

The regulation states that the central and regional governments must make adequate disaster-management budget allocations in the state budget (APBN) and regional budgets (APBD), as referred to in Article 4(2)(a) and (b). The central Government must also provide emergency funds within the disaster-management budget funded by the APBN, as stipulated in Article 5(3).

Articles 6(2), (3) and (4) also state that emergency funds must be available during disaster response. Under Article 6(2), the emergency funds referred to in Article 5(3)(b) are provided in the APBN and placed in the BNPB budget for activities during an emergency response.

Article 6(3) states that regional governments may provide emergency funds from the APBD within their disaster-management budgets, placing them in the budget of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). Article 6(4) says emergency funds referred to in paragraph (2) must always be available according to requirements during an emergency response.