Holiday Allowance Extortion: Cilacap Regent to Spend Eid in Detention

JAKARTA — The Cilacap Regent, Syamsul Auliya Rachman, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr 1447 H/2026 CE in detention.

This occurred after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) designated him as a suspect in an alleged extortion case involving Eid 2026 holiday allowances (THR) on Saturday, 14 March 2026.

He was apprehended during a sting operation on Friday, 13 March 2026. The KPK also designated Cilacap Regional Secretary (Sekda) Sadmoko Danardono as a suspect in the case.

For their alleged actions, the suspects have been charged with violations of Article 12 subsection (e) and/or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the eradication of corruption offences, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 on the eradication of corruption offences, together with Article 20 subsection (c) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.

According to Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution at the KPK, Syamsul requested his subordinates to collect THR allowances for Forkopimda (Forum of Regional Officials) within Cilacap district government.

Based on Syamsul’s calculations, THR for external recipients required 515 million rupiah. However, he set a target for THR collection of 750 million rupiah.

These THR funds were collected from each regional government work unit (SKPD) in Cilacap. Additionally, the 47 SKPD units in Cilacap were also requested to collect THR for Syamsul’s personal needs.