Jakarta. Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and a trusted aide to party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, was detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday, nearly two months after being named a suspect for allegedly bribing an election official.

The arrest marks a major development in the long-running investigation into the graft case, in which Hasto allegedly paid Wahyu Setiawan, a former commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU), to secure a House of Representatives seat for fellow PDI-P executive Harun Masiku after the 2019 election.

Harun, a key suspect in the case, has been at large since 2020.

Hasto, 58, was seen handcuffed and wearing an orange detainee suit as he exited the interrogation room at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta, facing a crowd of journalists. His recent pre-trial motion was rejected by the South Jakarta District Court, but his legal team has filed a second petition with the same court.

However, the legal maneuver did not prevent the KPK from summoning him again and ultimately proceeding with the arrest.

Under Indonesian law, Hasto’s initial detention period is set at 20 days, but it can be extended depending on the progress of the investigation and the court proceedings, said KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto.

Upon arriving at the KPK building earlier in the day, Hasto said he was honoring the summons as a "law-abiding citizen" and aimed to demonstrate his cooperation with legal proceedings. However, he continues to maintain that the investigation against him is politically motivated.

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