KPK Investigates Alleged Bupati Kuansing Cut SHU 914 Farmers to Manage Forest Area Release

Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby (center) walks after undergoing an examination at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/7/2026). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that the inactive Regent of Kuansing, Suhardiman Amby, forcibly cut the remaining business results (SHU) belonging to hundreds of farmers who are members of the village unit cooperative (KUD) in Kuantan Singingi Regency (Kuansing), Riau. The money was then collected to handle the release of the Limited Production Forest (HPT) area.

"It is suspected that the regent also collected a number of money from 914 members of the Village Unit Cooperative, yes, for the management of forest area permits. The initial information we received was as wide as 1,828 hectares," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, July 8.

The money, continued Budi, was then converted into foreign currency. To strengthen the allegations, investigators continued to collect additional evidence through searches, including at the office of the Kuansing Regency Plantation Service and the private home of the Head of the Plantation Service.

In addition, investigators will also investigate the alleged connection between the money from the SHU cuts and the envelope that Suhardiman had given to Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni after an audience at the Ministry of Forestry on June 2, 2026.

"This will then become the material that will be investigated by the investigators, of course, because it is from the initial statement that there was a gift made by the Regent to the Minister," said Budi.

As for Raja Juli, in a press conference after the silent operation was held, he admitted that the Regent of Kuansing Suhardiman Amby had left a sealed envelope after an audience at the Ministry of Forestry on June 2, 2026.

He then ordered his aide to return the envelope on June 5, 2026. However, the plan was delayed because his aide had to accompany him in the agenda of the service.

Furthermore, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry then issued a letter of assignment to his aide on June 11, 2026. In addition, Raja Juli admitted that he contacted the Riau Police Chief to help bring his aide and the Regent of Kuansing together.

The return of the envelope, he claimed, was made on June 12, 2026 at the Kuantan Singingi Police and was documented and accompanied by a receipt.

As previously reported, the KPK named three people as suspects in the alleged bribery of the filling of the Kuansing Regent's post after conducting a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) on Monday, June 29. They are Kuansing Regent Suhardiman Amby, Kuansing Regent Zulkarnain, and Ardiles as President Director of PT Mitra Ideal Consultant.

In the construction of the case, Suhardiman allegedly asked for one unit of Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR-S worth around Rp2.05 billion to the participants of the selection for the position of the Regional Secretary.

The request was fulfilled by Zulkarnain who bought the vehicle through a credit scheme using Ardiles' identity for financing applications.

In addition, the KPK also found other alleged receipts made by Suhardiman related to the process of releasing Limited Production Forest (HPT) areas. Investigators are said to be tracing the amount of receipts, the mechanism of giving to the party suspected of receiving at the Ministry of Forestry.