Social Affairs Minister warns corrupt officials will be pursued into retirement

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has reminded all ranks of the state civil apparatus within the Ministry of Social Affairs that legal accountability for corrupt practices will continue to pursue perpetrators into retirement. ‘There is no safe zone for corruption. Not caught now, later. Not caught later, caught in retirement,’ he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday. He stressed there is no hiding place for officials who recklessly compromise integrity for personal or group gain. This stern warning was delivered openly during a leadership meeting at the Ministry of Social Affairs, serving as an internal moral defence ahead of the implementation of goods and services procurement for the 2026 fiscal year. The move also represents full compliance with President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment, who demands total eradication of corruption within the bureaucracy of ministries and state institutions. ‘We know there was a presidential speech yesterday about integrity. When the president speaks, it is fundamentally a command, not an appeal. The Ministry of Social Affairs must capture the message,’ he said. He also confirmed the implementation of layered sanctions and the enforcement of a zero-tolerance principle for unit heads proven to be negligent or to have deliberately turned a blind eye to indications of graft in their working environment. It was previously known that a viral post on social media alleged price markups for shoes provided to students of Sekolah Rakyat. Responding to this, the Ministry of Social Affairs formed a special team to delve into procurement issues following the information that became a polemic on social media. Saifullah appointed Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo and the Ministry’s Inspector General to lead the special team. The team subsequently relieved two officials to support the smooth execution of the internal evaluation and investigation related to the procurement of goods and services for Sekolah Rakyat students. The Ministry of Social Affairs is targeting the announcement of the internal investigation results by the beginning of this month.