Based on the Pact of Integrity, any party leader named a suspect in a legal case is required to resign."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Deputy general chairman of the ruling Democrat Party Max Sopacua reminded Jero Wacik, who has been named corruption suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to resign from his position in the party.

KPK announced earlier on Wednesday the energy and mineral resources minister, who is the secretary of the High Council of the ruling party, had been named suspect in corruption.

"Based on the Pact of Integrity, any party leader named a suspect in a legal case is required to resign," Max said here on Wednesday.

He said the party has a commitment to eradicate corruption as confirmed in the pact of integrity signed by all party leaders.

Beside as the secretary of High Council, Jero Wacik is a member of the Honorary Council of the party, which is headed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

A deputy chairman of the KPK Zulkarnain said Jero Wacik is charged with extortion allegedly committed as a minister in 2011-2012.

"An order had been issued on September 2, 2014, regarding investigation of Jero Wacik as a suspect charged with abusing his power to enrich himself," Zulkarnain said in a news conference.

Jero Wacik is facing a maximum jail term of 20 years with a fine of up to Rp1 billion.

The minister was allegedly ordered a number of employees of the ministry to collect money for additional operating fund, KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto told the press conference.

Additional funds illegally raised such as from kickbacks and cost of fictitious meetings reached Rp9.9 billion, Bambang said.

The case came to surface in the process of investigations of corruption with ministry secretary general Waryono Karno as the suspect.

Waryono was already named suspect in a graft case after KPK found US$200,000 in his office room in a raid by KPK following the the arrest of former head of the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulator (SKK Migas) Rudi Rubiandini, who is now serving a jail term.

KPK has so far also named parliamentary leader Sutan Bhatoegana as suspect in a graft case related to the budget of the energy and mineral resources ministry.
(Uu.H-ASG/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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