JAKARTA ~ The anti-corruption watchdog arrested a member of parliament allegedly carrying almost US$75,000 in bribe money, an official said.

House of Representatives lawmaker Bulyan Royan was arrested with $74,657 worth of euros and US currency at Jakarta’s Plaza Senayan shopping mall, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Johan Budi said on Tuesday.

“He was arrested late on Monday and has been named a suspect for receiving a bribe,” Budi said.

Royan is suspected of taking bribes in connection with a parliamentary decision to approve the purchase of patrol ships for the Transport Ministry, Budi said.

He is the fifth lawmaker arrested by the KPK so far this year.

Indonesia is one of the world’s most corrupt countries and ranks 143rd on Transparency International’s global corruption perceptions index, on an equal pegging with Russia, Togo and Gambia.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to stamp out Indonesia’s endemic corruption when he was elected in 2004.