The National Police finally announced on Tuesday that former health minister Siti Fadilah Supari had been named a suspect in a corruption case surrounding a Health Ministry project in 2005.

Supari's suspect status was first revealed in a hearing last Thursday at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court. During the hearing, two former ministry officials standing trial in the case said investigators had questioned them in their capacity as witnesses, with Supari being the suspect.

Both police and the Attorney General's Office had earlier repeatedly refused to confirm her status.

On Tuesday, however, National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Sutarman finally said Supari had been named a suspect in the case surrounding the procurement of health equipment involving the Health Ministry in 2005, which allegedly caused the state Rp 6.1 billion ($665,000) in losses.

"She's been named a suspect. But we're still gathering information from others," Sutarman said.

Supari served as the health minister from 2004 to 2009. She has been serving as the presidential adviser for health affairs since 2010. (Antara/JG)