Jakarta. Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo on Friday didn’t show up at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) where he is expected to give a deposition over an ongoing graft investigation into his ministry.

Syahrul, a National Democratic Party (Nasdem) politician, said he is on an official trip to India to join a meeting with his counterparts from G-20 countries.

"Indonesia, which held the G-20 presidency in 2022, must be represented in the closing session of the international gathering," Syahrul said in a statement.

But his trip will go beyond India, as he also plans to visit China and South Korea to “strengthen cooperation in the agricultural modernization and facilitate export markets for [Indonesian] agricultural products”.

He insisted that he is on an official duty on behalf of the nation.

"Rest assured that we respect the KPK and have requested the interrogation to be rescheduled for June 27, 2023," he said.

The KPK summons came after another Nasdem top politician, Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny Plate, was arrested by the Attorney General’s Office for graft allegations.

Nasdem has left a pro-government coalition since it officially nominated former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for president last October.

But Syahrul dismissed rumors of a political motive behind his case.

"I call on everyone to respect the rule of law in the KPK and refrain from making premature conclusions ahead of official information from the commission,” he said.

The KPK has yet to publish in detail the graft investigation in the Agriculture Ministry.

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