KPK Opens Opportunity to Call the Minister of Forestry Related to the Kuansing Regent Case

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) opened the opportunity to summon Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni after uncovering a case of alleged gratification related to the management of limited production forest areas (HPT) involving the Regent of Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Suhardiman Amby.

"Whether it is necessary to deepen the evidence or strengthen the facts of the meetings that support it later in the fulfillment of its elements, it will be done by summoning," said Acting (Plt.) Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/7).

Taufik then invited the public to wait for the development of the investigation of the case.

Meanwhile, he said the KPK had only discovered the fact of collecting money from the village unit cooperative (KUD) in Kuansing to handle the permit for the HPT area.

"The money collected by the KUD party is based on the cutting of the remaining business results, SHU. The cooperative has a business, it is cut in half in order to manage the permit for the release of limited production forest areas at the Ministry of Forestry," he said as quoted by Antara.

However, he said that the regional head was only authorized to give recommendations for the release of the HPT area. Meanwhile, the authority is the Ministry of Finance.

Therefore, Taufik said the KPK would investigate the meeting between Suhardiman and Raja Juli on June 2, 2026 as part of the investigation process.

According to him, information regarding the meeting has been obtained by investigators from a number of parties.

Based on the Kuantan Singingi Regency Government website, the meeting took place at the Ministry of Forestry Office, Jakarta, on June 2, 2026.

Previously, the KPK held a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) in Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau, and Jakarta on June 29, 2026 by securing 10 people. This operation was the 14th OTT carried out by the KPK throughout 2026.

Of that number, five people were taken to the KPK Red and White Building to undergo intensive examination. They consist of three private parties, a state civil servant of the Kuantan Singingi Regency Government, and Suhardiman's wife, Suci Nitia Edwar.

The KPK then asked Suhardiman and Kuantan Singingi Regional Secretary Zulkarnain to surrender on June 30, 2026. Both fulfilled the request and were picked up by investigators at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Banten.

On July 1, 2026, the KPK named Suhardiman Amby, Zulkarnain, and the President Director of PT Mitra Ideal Consultant Ardiles as suspects in the alleged bribery case related to the sale and purchase of positions in the Kuantan Singingi Regency Government.

Apart from the alleged bribery, the KPK also suspected Suhardiman of receiving gratification related to the management of the release of limited production forest areas.