Calls to Revise Regional Election Law Following Wave of Sting Operations Against Regional Heads

A wave of sting operations by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has ensnared a number of regional heads. The successive arrests of regional heads by the KPK have triggered discourse on revising the Regional Election Law. The KPK previously conducted a sting operation against Kuangsing Regent Suhardiman Amby. It transpired that Suhardiman became regent after replacing his predecessor, Andi Putra, who was caught in a sting operation in October 2021. The KPK then conducted another sting operation. This time, the target was Syah Afandin, also known as Ondim, the Regent of Langkat. This sting operation was similar to Suhardiman’s case. Syah Afandin was the replacement for the previous Langkat Regent, Terbit Rencana Perangin-angin, who was also implicated in a corruption case. In 2022, Syah Afandin served as Acting Regent of Langkat after Terbit was arrested by the KPK. The KPK described this phenomenon of back-to-back corruption by regional heads as akin to a regeneration of corruptors. “Ironically, SAF (the inactive Langkat Regent) was the Deputy Regent at the time, then became Acting Regent, and was elected Regent for the 2025-2030 period. So this latest sting operation appears to be a back-to-back practice of corruption,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo during a press conference at the KPK on Friday (4/7). The Regional Election Law is once again being scrutinised amidst the surge of regional heads implicated in corruption cases, with the issue linked to the phenomenon of money politics. Muhammad Khozin, Head of the National Awakening Party faction in the House of Representatives’ Commission II, assessed that the current moment is opportune for the DPR and the government to formulate regional elections that are not capital-intensive. He stated that this needs to be regulated anew in the Regional Election Law. “The revision of the Regional Election Law is a momentum for the DPR and the Government to design regional elections that are not capital-intensive,” Khozin told reporters on Friday (3/7). Khozin said the loopholes that led to the sting operations targeting several regional heads must be closed to prevent future occurrences. He also urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to design regional governance frameworks. “The Ministry of Home Affairs, as the supervisor of regional governments, must design regional governance so that there are no more loopholes for corruption in the regions,” he said. Khozin noted that corruption involving regional heads typically follows three main patterns: the buying and selling of positions, the granting of permits, and corruption in the procurement of goods and services. He expressed hope that the Ministry of Home Affairs would design a system to close these loopholes. “Corruption in the regions has three patterns, namely the buying and selling of positions, granting of permits, and corruption in the procurement of goods and services,” Khozin said. “There must be a design to close these three patterns of corruption in the regions, while also collaborating with law enforcement agencies to prevent corruption in the regions,” he added. Back in November 2025, the issue of money politics behind rampant corruption by regional heads was also raised by the Chair of House Commission II, Rifqinizamy Karsayuda. Rifqi assessed that repeated corruption cases involving regional heads were due to high political costs and the low welfare of regional officials. “In the struggle for power, during the campaign period, in regional elections, political costs are very high, and this is influenced mainly by our political culture, which increasingly appears to be more pragmatic,” Rifqinizamy told reporters on Friday (7/11/2025). “Secondly, the welfare of regional heads is indeed very low. Going forward, a fairer formula needs to be created regarding the welfare of regional heads, whether governors, regents, or mayors,” he continued. At that time, Rifqinizamy proposed that regional heads receive incentives from locally generated revenue. He argued that regional heads have worked hard to increase this revenue. “For example, they are entitled to a certain percentage of locally generated revenue for their welfare, and the use of the money is legally regulated in legislation,” he said. “Thus, on one hand, we encourage fiscal independence and an increase in locally generated revenue in each region, and on the other hand, we also provide incentives to governors, regents, and mayors for their hard work in improving this,” he concluded.