Menhut Clarifies about Envelope After Meeting with Kuansing Regent who was OTT by KPK
JAKARTA - Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni clarified the issue of his involvement in the Operation Catch the Hand (OTT) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of the Regent of Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing), Riau, Suhardiman Amby, who is now a suspect in the case of bribery of the regional secretary (sekda).
"My first clarification, bring it right, on June 2, 2026, there was an audience for the Regent of Kuansing at this office. This is an open audience, the regent sent an official letter, published on my social media and the ministry, and there is a list of attendance and a memorandum. So, if at some point the KPK needs it, or even we will be proactive as well as handing over (the necessary evidence or important documents)," said Menhut as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, July 3.
Menhut Raja Juli said in the meeting that the Regent of Kuansing left an envelope sealed with a map and when Suhardiman Amby left, he only realized it and immediately asked his aide to return the envelope.
"I don't know what the contents are, but I feel that I don't have a right to the envelope, and I ask my aides to return the envelope. June 2, 2026 is Tuesday, I only have one aide, I said I would leave on Friday, that is June 5, but it turned out that it couldn't be June 5, because my aide had to stay with me to help meet with the Deputy Attorney General for Civil and State Administration (Jamdatun) in other matters at the Directorate of State Administration and Legal Considerations (DTUNPHL) of the Attorney General's Office," said Menhut.
Then, considering the matter, King Juli then sent his aide to return the Kuansing Regent's envelope that was left behind next week, namely Friday, June 12, 2025.
"On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance issued a letter of appointment, a letter of order to my aide to come to this Kuansing Regent," said Minister of Finance Raja Juli.
Menhut then called the Riau Police Chief to help and facilitate his aide to meet with the Regent of Kuansing at the Kuansing Police Chief.
On Friday, June 12, at around 14.57, exactly 17 days before the OTT, the Menhut aide had returned a white envelope to the Regent of Kuansing which was equipped with a photo and receipt.
"I show this to media friends. This is the acceptance mark, June 12 at 14.57. This is the one who received Mr. Suhardiman Amby, the Regent of Kuantan Singingi, using a stamp, and this is my assistant, Bambang Hariadi. 17 days before OTT, as my moral responsibility, my public responsibility as the leader here, we have returned the envelope left by the regent during the audience," said Menhut.