Golkar Deputy Chair: Indonesia Has Entered a Corruption Emergency Phase

Deputy Chair of the Golkar Party and Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives’ Legislation Body (Baleg), Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, has assessed that Indonesia has entered a corruption emergency phase. The analysis is based on the phenomenon of numerous regional heads being caught in sting operations (OTT) for alleged corruption. “I think it has reached the stage of a corruption emergency situation,” Doli said in a written statement on Sunday, 5 July 2026. According to Doli, the arrested regional heads are not learning from previous sting operations involving their predecessors. He questioned the sense of fear and shame among regional heads suspected of corruption. “Or have they lost sensitivity and forgotten their responsibility to the people?” he asked. Doli considers these events to be a serious problem. He believes it is time to conduct a total evaluation of the recruitment and nomination system for regional heads. “A total evaluation of the recruitment and nomination system for Regional Heads must be taken very seriously,” he said. On the other hand, Doli argued that the widespread phenomenon of regional head arrests cannot be seen as a good indicator in the fight against corruption. For him, prevention efforts are better than prosecution. “The indicator of success in eradicating corruption should not be seen from the number of officials arrested, but rather from achieving a zero corruption situation, where there are no more corrupt officials,” Doli said. Doli invited stakeholders to evaluate and build a new ecosystem for eradicating corruption. This ecosystem is not merely about strengthening law enforcement but must start with correcting various regulations. “Which allow opportunities for corrupt practices to occur,” he said. For Doli, it is important to build a system that encourages the development of legal awareness and an anti-corruption culture within society. “I think we can no longer play games. This is very, very serious,” he said. Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a sting operation against Langkat Regent Syah Afandin in North Sumatra in early July 2026. He was arrested for alleged project bribes in the Education Agency and the Housing and Settlement Areas Agency. KPK investigators also detained seven other individuals, including state officials and private parties in Langkat Regency, Binjai, and Medan. During the arrest, the KPK seized evidence in the form of hundreds of millions of rupiah in cash and dozens of kilogrammes of platinum metal. Syah Afandin has been named a suspect and detained.