Return the Envelope After 10 Days, Menhut Raja Juli is Allegedly 'Seeing the Situation' Before OTT

Illustration. (Photo: Dok. Antara)

JAKARTA - The operation of Tangkap Tangan (OTT) carried out by the KPK against the Regent of Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Suhardiman Amby, continues to expand.

Most recently, the case related to the alleged bribery of the release of Limited Production Forest (HPT) or HPT-gate also dragged the name of Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni.

This fact was further strengthened after the PSI politician admitted that he had returned the envelope given by Suhardiman when he had an audience at the Ministry of Forestry Office a few days after he was caught by anti-corruption agency investigators.

Responding to this, the General Chair of the Forum of State Monitoring Society (Formapera) Teuku Yudhistira urged the KPK to seriously investigate this case, including examining anyone involved.

"This case must be thoroughly and comprehensively investigated. This means that anyone involved must be investigated and prosecuted if they also enjoy the flow of money that is indicated as part of gratification," said Yudhistira in Jakarta, Friday, July 3.

Yudhis said, in this case, the KPK should not be selective. This means that the red thread behind this case must be unravelled and there is no term because it has returned the envelope.

"This is what is present. Therefore, the examination of the Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni must be carried out so that this case is clear. The Ministry of Forestry cannot justify it because it has returned the envelope, he can get away with it," he said.

"Because it is very possible that before there were envelopes that had flowed and were enjoyed by other parties in the Ministry of Finance or could have been enjoyed by Raja Juli. So don't he (Raja Juli-ed) have an alibi to save himself. Moreover, the envelope had been deposited for 10 days before being returned. It seems to see the situation again," he added.

Previously, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni claimed to have returned the envelope left by the Regent of Kuansing Suhardiman Amby after an audience at the Ministry of Forestry Office on June 2, 2026.

Menhut said that his aide returned the envelope to Suhardiman on June 12 or 17 days before the KPK carried out a hand-in-hand operation in Kuantan Singingi.

"On June 12, 17 days before the OTT, as my moral responsibility, as a commitment to eradicating corruption, I returned the envelope which I actually did not know what it contained," Raja Juli said at the Ministry of Forestry Office, Jakarta, Friday, July 3, 2026.

Raja Juli's statement was made after KPK investigators opened the opportunity to examine him in the investigation of the alleged bribery of the release of Limited Production Forest (HPT) areas in Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau. The case dragged Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby who allegedly received gratification or other receipts related to the release of forest areas.

Acting Director of Investigation of the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, previously said that investigators would call Raja Juli if his testimony was needed to strengthen the evidence of the case. The KPK is also still investigating the alleged flow of receipts to other parties.

Raja Juli said Suhardiman submitted an official audience to the Ministry of Forestry. The meeting, he said, had a letter of request, attendance list, and minutes. The Ministry is ready to hand over all the documents to the KPK if needed.

According to Raja Juli, he only knew about the existence of the envelope after Suhardiman left the meeting room. He then asked his aide to return the envelope because he felt he did not have the right to receive it, "I don't know what it contains but I feel I don't have the right to the envelope."

He said the return of the original envelope was scheduled for June 5. However, the plan was delayed because his aide had to accompany him in the official agenda. The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Forestry then issued a letter of assignment on June 11 for his aide to hand over the envelope to Suhardiman.

Raja Juli also admitted that he contacted the Riau Police Chief to help bring his aide and Suhardiman together in Kuantan Singingi Regency. He claimed that his aide returned the envelope on June 12 at 14.57 WIB. Raja Juli claimed to have a receipt and documentation for the delivery of the envelope. He shared the evidence with the media crew.

In addition to explaining the envelope, Raja Juli denied issuing a decree to release forest areas in Kuantan Singingi. "There is not one letter, not one SK that I have issued for the release of forest areas in Kuantan Singingi."

He also claimed that there was no forest area in Kuantan Singingi that had changed status to another use area based on his authority as Minister of Forestry.

Raja Juli said the Ministry of Forestry would assist the KPK investigation and submit the necessary documents. "We will help the KPK, we will cooperate," he said.