Indonesian anti graft agency detains former minister over corruption allegation

Indonesia's anti-graft agency detained on Thursday former youth and sports minister Andi Mallarangeng for his implication in corruption case related to the development of national sports center in Hambalang, Sentul, West Java during his tenure as the minister. The minister was seen ushered out by officials with the country 's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) from the commission premises, wearing orange detainee jacket after undergone series of questioning processes. "Today I begin my detention period in accordance to the KPK's regulation. I accept this as a process to speed up conclusion of this case," the former minister told reporters in the KPK premises, which was televised nationwide here. Andi resigned from his post on Dec. 7 last year after being declared a suspect by the KPK in the case. He was charged for misusing his authority related to the development of the nation's major sports complex located near the capital city. He was accused of having manipulated in the projects' tender, swelling the project's budget and involving in sub-contract arrangement fraud during his ministerial service. Reports said that those misconducts cost the state more than 750 billion rupiah (about 68.5 million U.S. dollars). The 32 hectare-wide project is now deserted as the location site was apparently not suitable for such a project with some of already- constructed buildings in near-collapse condition.