Forestry Minister May Be Summoned by KPK Over Forest Area Release
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has not ruled out the possibility of summoning Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni. The KPK is open to seeking information from Raja Juli in connection with alleged corruption implicating Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby.
The KPK stated the examination could be conducted if investigators require his testimony to strengthen additional evidence. This relates to the alleged receipt of funds concerning the release process of a Limited Production Forest (HPT) area.
‘If it is indeed necessary to deepen the evidence or strengthen the facts of meetings that support the fulfilment of the elements, a summons will be made,’ said Acting KPK Director of Investigations, Achmad Taufik Husein, on Thursday (2/7/2026).
Taufik explained that investigators are still probing the series of events that ensnared Suhardiman. The KPK has uncovered an alleged collection of money from village unit cooperatives (KUD) in Kuantan Singingi to process the HPT area release permit.
‘The money collected by the KUD parties came from deductions of the net surplus (SHU),’ Taufik stated.
The KPK is currently investigating a meeting between Suhardiman and Raja Juli at the Ministry of Forestry office on 2 June 2026. During that time, the Kuantan Singingi Regency Government proposed the release of 3,800 hectares of forest area to be included in the Agrarian Reform Object Land (TORA) programme.
The KPK suspects there was a request for money sourced from deductions of the net surplus (SHU) of Village Unit Cooperative (KUD) members in Kuantan Singingi. The money was allegedly used to facilitate the release of the HPT area.
‘The money collected by the KUD parties was based on deductions from the net surplus. The cooperative has a business, and half of it was deducted for the purpose of processing the limited production forest area release permit at the Ministry of Forestry,’ Taufik said.
It is understood that this case is a development from a KPK sting operation regarding bribery in the appointment of the Kuantan Singingi Regional Secretary. In that case, the KPK has detained three suspects: Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby, Kuantan Singingi Regional Secretary Zulkarnain, and the President Director of PT Mitra Ideal Consultant (MIC), Ardiles.
Initially, the KPK charged Suhardiman with allegedly requesting a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR-S worth approximately IDR 2.05 billion as a reward for the appointment of the Regional Secretary. However, the case has expanded to include other alleged gratuities related to the forest area release process.