Cilacap agency heads borrow from cooperatives and rural banks to pay forkopimda holiday allowance levies

Semarang (ANTARA) - A number of heads of regional government agencies (OPD) in Cilacap Regency, Central Java, were forced to borrow money from cooperatives and rural banks (BPR) to meet the holiday allowance (THR) levy requirements for the regional leadership coordination forum (forkopimda) in the area in 2026.

Imam Jauhari, Head of the Regional Development Planning, Research and Innovation Agency of Cilacap Regency, testified as a witness in the corruption trial of suspended Cilacap Regent Syamsul Auliya Rachman at the Semarang Corruption Court on Tuesday. He said he was asked to contribute Rp20 million for the forkopimda THR.

“I was asked for a contribution of Rp20 million. I raised an objection to the Assistant II, asking that it not be that large,” he said in the hearing presided over by Chief Judge Rosana Irawati.

Imam said he ultimately still provided Rp20 million, with Rp10 million coming from his own pocket and the remainder borrowed from the employee cooperative of the Cilacap Bappeda.

“Rp10 million was borrowed from the Bappeda employee cooperative, and Rp10 million from personal funds,” he said.

The witness admitted he gave the money because, as a newly appointed agency head, he was worried about his performance assessment and being considered disloyal.

Meanwhile, another witness, Muhammad Agung, a marketing staff member at BPR BKK Cilacap, confirmed that a loan application of Rp50 million had been submitted by Farid Rijanto, Head of the Manpower and Industry Agency of Cilacap Regency.

“The application was for Rp50 million with a car as loan collateral. He did not ask what the loan was for,” he said.

“The loan has now been fully repaid,” he added.

In a previous hearing, Farid Rijanto, Head of the Manpower and Industry Agency of Cilacap Regency, admitted to providing Rp20 million for the forkopimda THR needs.

Suspended Cilacap Regent Syamsul Auliya Rachman and Cilacap Regency Regional Secretary Sadmoko Danardono are accused of extorting agency heads in the regency government for a total of Rp568 million for the forkopimda THR needs.