KPK Finds HT Procurement in Alleged BNPB Disaster-Response Fund Corruption Case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has disclosed one form of procurement in its investigation into alleged corruption involving the National Disaster Management Agency’s (BNPB) disaster-response fund (DSP). The commission said one of the purchases was communications equipment—in this case, handheld radios (HTs)—for forest and land-fire emergencies.
“Some of it was indeed used for forest and land-fire response activities. One example was the procurement of communications equipment, or HTs,” acting KPK Director of Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein said at a press conference at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Friday (16 October 2026).
Taufik said investigators had also identified other procurements, but he was not yet able to provide details.
“We will provide a detailed update later. The procurement documents are still being examined and will be gathered as the investigation proceeds,” he said.
In the alleged corruption case involving BNPB’s disaster-response fund, the KPK has named Bima Setiawan, an expert adviser and younger brother of former BNPB chief Suharyanto, as a suspect. The commission alleges that Bima was involved in BNPB procurement.
Taufik said the DSP is a government reserve fund for use during disaster emergencies. Disbursement is flexible, he said, but must meet one of four conditions.
“First, an emergency status must be declared. That is the first criterion for disbursing the DSP,” Taufik said at a press conference at the KPK building in South Jakarta on Friday (16 October).
The other conditions are the designation of a specific emergency status; a determination by the BNPB chief that disaster risks could have an impact; or a need to provide humanitarian assistance overseas.
The fund has been used to respond to several disasters in Indonesia, he said, including forest and land fires in Kalimantan and Papua, a major earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and floods in Aceh and Sumatra.
Taufik said BNPB had identified several goods and services providers for direct appointments under collaborative work plans (RKK). The arrangement was intended to speed up procurement when an emergency disaster status was declared.
“This includes using the DSP as the supporting budget line,” he said.
Taufik said the KPK had found indications of conflicts of interest and bribery. The case has been divided into two clusters.
Bima is a suspect in the first cluster, concerning alleged conflicts of interest in procurement between 2024 and 2026. The KPK suspects that several vendors awarded contracts through direct appointments were affiliated with Bima, an expert adviser and the younger brother of Suharyanto, who was BNPB chief at the time.
“Several of these providers are suspected of being affiliated with BMS, an expert adviser to the BNPB chief and the younger brother of the (former) BNPB chief. The total procurement value was approximately Rp148 billion,” Taufik said.
He said funds from the disaster-response procurement had flowed to companies affiliated with Bima. The KPK suspects that Bima used some of the money to buy shares in another company.
“In the use of BNPB’s DSP for the procurement, funds flowing to companies affiliated with BMS were used for personal purposes, including the purchase of shares in PT MDLA (PT Medela Potentia) by PT AVE (Alfa Veritas Energizer). PT AVE’s holding amounted to 150.4 million shares (1.07%), valued at Rp206 per share as of 13 October 2026, or Rp30.98 billion,” he said.