The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer, popularly known as Noel, in a late-night graft sting operation on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
KPK deputy chairman Fitroh Rohcahyanto confirmed the arrest on Thursday, August 21, 2025, but declined to elaborate on the case.
“It’s true. Details will be announced later,” he told reporters.
Noel, 50, has served as deputy minister at the Manpower Ministry since October 2024 under President Prabowo Subianto administration. A politician from the Gerindra Party, Noel was born in Riau on July 22, 1975.
The arrest has drawn public attention, not least because Noel recently made headlines with his controversial comments on the viral hashtag #KaburAjaDulu (“just run away first”), a social media trend encouraging Indonesians to seek job opportunities abroad. Rather than discouraging the sentiment, Noel suggested that people were free to leave the country even if they never returned.
The remark sparked debate across social platforms, with critics saying it was inappropriate for a senior labor official amid concerns about Indonesia’s workforce and brain drain.
KPK has yet to disclose the alleged corruption scheme involving Noel. If confirmed, he would be the latest high-ranking government official to be implicated in graft under President Prabowo’s administration.
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