INDONESIAN FISHERIES MINISTER ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

Indonesia's fisheries minister, Edhy Prabowo, was arrested on corruption charges, making him the first member of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's second-term cabinet to be held over graft allegations, Erwida Maulia and Ismi Damayanti reported for Nikkei Asia.

Anti-graft officials intercepted him Wednesday upon his arrival at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on a flight from Hawaii. Officials at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said they arrested more than five people, including his lawmaker wife, Iis Rosita Dewi, other family members and ministry officials. "He is allegedly involved in corruption in regard to issuances of export permits for lobster larvae. He is now undergoing questioning at the KPK," KPK chief Firli Bahuri told Nikkei Asia.

Prabowo has stirred controversy since his entering office in October last year. He reversed a ban on lobster larvae exports introduced by his predecessor, Susi Pudjiastuti -- a popular minister for her headline-grabbing policy of blowing up illegal fishing ships, including ships from China and Vietnam. She introduced the export ban in 2016 over sustainability concerns.

In July, Indonesian magazine Tempo wrote in a special report that the fisheries ministry granted permits to 30 entities to export lobster larvae -- 25 of which were dubious companies that had only been set up a few months earlier. Some of the company owners are said to be politicians.The ministry responded by saying that the companies were granted permits because they had met requirements for lobster farming and exports. Prabowo is one of only two members of the Gerindra Party in Widodo's cabinet. The other is the party chairman and former opposition leader, Prabowo Subianto. Subianto lost to Widodo in both the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections, and currently serves as defense minister.