The Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, has admitted that an\nenvelope was left behind by the Regent of Kuantance Singingi (Kuansing),\nSuhardiman Amby. He stated that he immediately instructed his aide to\nreturn the envelope.<\/p>\n
As background, Suhardiman Amby surrendered himself to the Corruption\nEradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday (30\/6) after being sought during\na series of sting operations (OTT) that began on Monday (29\/6).\nSuhardiman was subsequently announced as a recipient of a bribe in the\nform of a Land Cruiser vehicle related to the selection of the Regional\nSecretary on Wednesday (1\/7).<\/p>\n
During a press conference, the KPK mentioned allegations of further\ncorruption committed by Suhardiman. According to the KPK, the alleged\ncorruption involves the receipt of funds related to the release of\nlimited production forests.<\/p>\n
The KPK noted that the release of forests falls entirely under the\nauthority of the Ministry of Forestry; however, the Kuansing local\ngovernment holds the authority to provide technical recommendations for\nthe release of forest areas.<\/p>\n
Returning to Raja Juli, he acknowledged a meeting with Suhardiman on\n2 June 2026. He stated that the audience was conducted officially and\ntransparently.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first clarification is that it is true that on 2 June 2026, there\nwas an audience with the Regent of Kuansing at this office. This was an\nopen audience; the Regent sent an official letter, it was published on\nsocial media by both myself and the Ministry, and there is an attendance\nlist and minutes. Therefore, if the KPK requires them in the future, or\neven if we proactively wish to submit them, we will provide what I have\nmentioned,\u201d Raja Juli said at the Ministry of Forestry Office, Central\nJakarta, on Friday (3\/7\/2026).<\/p>\n
He stated that Suhardiman left an envelope enclosed in a folder\nduring the audience. Raja Juli claimed he only realised this after the\nmeeting ended and requested his aide to return the envelope.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the audience, it turned out that the Regent of Kuansing left\nan envelope enclosed in a folder. When he left, I only realised it, and\nI immediately asked my aide to return that envelope. I did not know what\nwas inside, but I did not feel I had any right to that envelope, so I\nasked my aide to return it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that his aide was only able to depart to return the envelope\nto the Regent of Kuansing on Friday (12\/6). He added that the aide was\ndispatched with a travel permit issued by the Secretary-General of the\nMinistry of Forestry.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the following Thursday, 11 June, the Secretary-General issued a\ntravel permit, a command to my aide, to visit the Regent of Kuantan\nSingingi,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Raja Juli also admitted to contacting authorities in Riau to assist\nhis aide in meeting the Regent to return the envelope. He mentioned that\nthe envelope was returned on 12 June, which was 17 days before the sting\noperation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo on the 12th (June), everyone, on Friday, the 12th, approximately\n17 days before the sting operation occurred, my aide had already\nreturned the white envelope to the Regent of Kuantan Singingi. There is\na receipt and a photo. I am showing the originals to everyone. This is\nthe receipt, dated 12 June at 14:57,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe recipient was Dr Suhardiman Amby, the Regent of Kuantan\nSingingi. Using a stamp duty, my aide, Bambang Supriyadi, received it on\n12 June at 14:57. 17 days before the sting operation. As my moral and\npublic responsibility as the leader here, we had already returned the\nenvelope left by the Regent during the audience,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
He also guaranteed that no Decree (SK) has been issued for the\nrelease of forest areas in Kuansing. He stated that he was not involved\nin the case and is prepared to provide testimony if required by the\nKPK.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe envelope was returned on 12 June, 17 days before the sting\noperation took place. Secondly, not an inch of forest area has been\nauthorised for release by me in Kuantan Singingi,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forestry-minister-raja-juli-admits-envelope-from-kuansing-regent-says-it-was-returned-1783076072", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }