55 Kg of Platinum Worth IDR 40 Billion Found in Langkat Regent's Car

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) discovered 55 kilograms of platinum, a precious metal, in a car belonging to Langkat Regent Syah Afandin, also known as Ondim. The item was found during a sting operation conducted on Thursday (2/7). KPK has named Langkat Regent Syah Afandin a bribery suspect. “The team also found 55 pieces of platinum with a total weight of approximately 55 kilograms in SAF’s car,” said Acting Director of KPK Investigations, Achmad Taufik Husein, during a press conference on Friday (3/7). Taufik explained that based on initial searches, the agency estimates one piece of the metal is worth around IDR 900 million. Consequently, the total value is estimated to reach tens of billions of rupiah. “The initial assumption is that it has value because if we browse commonly known websites, it is valued at around IDR 900 million per piece. It has been checked on the website, so if multiplied by 55 pieces, it is around IDR 40 billion,” he said. Taufik stated that investigators will later seek clarification from Syah regarding the origin of the precious metal. Additionally, the KPK will involve experts to verify its authenticity. “Regarding its authenticity, we will also ask experts, perhaps from Antam or Pegadaian, who have the qualifications to determine whether the item is genuine or not,” he said. Besides the platinum, investigators also seized other evidence, including IDR 100 million in cash suspected to be bribe money, and cash in various foreign currencies worth approximately IDR 1.22 billion. “Cash in foreign currency totalling IDR 1.22 billion, with details of SGD 66,950, RM 11,518, and IDR 244.7 million,” Taufik stated. Furthermore, the KPK seized two bank accounts under Syah’s name with a balance of approximately IDR 2.27 billion, along with electronic evidence and documents. The KPK has officially named Langkat Regent Syah Afandin as a suspect after he was caught in a sting operation related to bribery involving several projects within the Langkat Regency Government. In addition to Afandin, the KPK also named Yaqub Abd Al-Mu’arif, a private party and member of Afandin’s 2024 election campaign team, as a suspect in the case.