JAKARTA (Bloomberg): Indonesian officials sought to play down signs of a rift between security agencies after police raids in Jakarta brought several alleged graft cases into public view and drew a senior prosecutor into a widening controversy.
Police this week seized gold bars, cash and foreign currencies worth tens of millions of dollars in a series of raids in and around the capital, saying the searches were linked to at least three corruption and money-laundering investigations, including alleged coal-supply graft tied to recent power blackouts.
In South Jakarta, investigators seized rupiah and foreign currencies equivalent to more than $3 million from a concealed, two-meter-tall safe at a restaurant and from an adjacent money changer, state news agency Antara reported.
At a house south of Jakarta owned by Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Febrie Adriansyah, police said investigators found 74 kilograms of gold bars along with cash and foreign currencies in seven suitcases locked in a safe, with the total haul valued at about $26.3 million.
Adding to the intrigue, armed military personnel were later deployed to Febrie’s Jakarta residence. The military said the deployment was carried out at the request of the Attorney General’s Office and cited rules on protection for prosecutors.
Febrie is one of Indonesia’s highest-profile corruption prosecutors, overseeing the Attorney General’s Office unit that handles major graft cases, including probes involving state miner Timah, Pertamina, Garuda Indonesia, former education minister Nadiem Makarim and President Prabowo Subianto’s free-meals program.
Police have framed the searches as evidence-gathering in corruption and money-laundering investigations covering three case areas: alleged irregularities in coal procurement and supply to power plants, alleged misconduct in the handling of legal matters involving state insurers Asabri and Jiwasraya, and a separate matter tied to the settlement of debt involving companies linked to Krakatau Steel.
A military spokesman said late Thursday that the “security arrangements do not affect any law enforcement processes, and we want to assure the public that there is no conflict with any institution.”
“The Indonesian military affirms that there is no interference in the legal process and fully supports all actions taken by law enforcement authorities,” the spokesman added.
Febrie on Friday acknowledged that he owned the house where police found the gold bars and cash, but denied any connection to the seized assets.
He said the Attorney General’s Office respects the investigation process and is awaiting police findings. He urged the public not to draw conclusions linking any person or institution to alleged criminal conduct solely based on information circulating on social media or in the news media, adding that “the legal process must continue to respect the presumption of innocence.”
Prabowo appeared to weigh in indirectly on Friday, calling for introspection among officials, soldiers, police and prosecutors while inaugurating a dam on Lombok island.
“Let us all self-reflect – officials, the military, and the police,” the president said. “You belong to the people. Your stars come from the people, your shoes come from the people, your hats come from the people. Never forget that.”
“The same goes for the Attorney General’s Office,” he added. “You, too, belong to the people.”
Amnesty International Indonesia warned that the troop deployment could erode civilian supremacy and the credibility of law-enforcement institutions, and called for assurances that investigators would face no obstruction or intimidation.
Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at the Jakarta-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the standoff reflects a broader institutional breakdown and risks accelerating “creeping militarization” by drawing the military deeper into civilian law enforcement.
“If this escalation is allowed to continue, the foundations of Indonesia’s rule of law will erode, triggering a broader loss of public and investor confidence,” he said.
–With assistance from Grace Sihombing. — ©2026 Bloomberg L.P.