Former Democratic Party leader arrested for alleged corruption

A former leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party, Anas Urbaningrum, was detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday over alleged involvement in a high-profile case involving the construction of the Bukit Hambalang Sports Complex in Bogor, West Java several years ago.

He was arrested after almost five hours of questioning at the KPK building and when he emerged at 6.45pm to be taken to prison, Anas, in a brief statement to reporters, regarded his arrest as a historic day and important for him to find justice and truth.

"I thank Pak SBY (President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono). Hopefully this incident will have a meaning and a new year gift for 2014.

"I am confident, when we fight for truth and justice, in the end the truth will win," he added.

Several political analysts regarded Anas' expression of thanks to Yudhoyono was a cynical remark and that he would expose more information on the case, including the possibility of dragging along SBY's son, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono or Ibas, who is now the Democratic Party secretary-general, into the case.

Yudhoyono took over the leadership of the Democratic Party following Anas' resignation last year after KPK named him as one of the suspects in the Hambalang sports complex case.

Former Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng is also one of the suspects and he was arrested by KPK last year.

Meanwhile, Yudhoyono, through presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha on Friday, called on all quarters to not link the case involving Anas with politics.

She said Yudhoyono would monitor the development of the legal process against Anas, but would not intervene because he was confident the law would resolve the case.