Khofifah's Response to the Arrest of Three Regional Heads in East Java by KPK

Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa has spoken out regarding a series of corruption cases ensnaring several regional leaders in her province. Since the regional heads who won the 2024 elections were inaugurated in 2025, three regional heads in East Java have been caught in the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) hand arrest operations (OTT). They are the Regent of Ponorogo Sugiri Sancoko, the Mayor of Madiun Maidi, and most recently, the Regent of Tulungagung Gatut Sunu Wibowo. “Actually, we have all conducted quite intensive coordination (to prevent corruption from occurring),” said Khofifah during a break from attending the 80th anniversary of Muslimat NU in Yogyakarta on Sunday, 12 April 2026. The woman, who also serves as General Chair of the Advisory Board of the Central Board of Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), explained that for anticipation and prevention of corruption, local governments even have a special communication group with the KPK through the KPK’s Coordination and Supervision for Prevention programme or Kosupgah. “There is also a group of regional heads with the KPK team, so actually (for corruption prevention), the district/city governments have been invited by the KPK to seek solutions together so as not to fall into corruption cases,” she said. Therefore, if corruption cases still occur, according to Khofifah, it comes down to each individual. Khofifah explained that the KPK has actually taken proactive steps by summoning all regents and mayors in East Java one by one for discussions and to find joint solutions in preventing corrupt practices. Even though these efforts have been carried out up to the provincial government level, she regrets that there are still officials caught in the anti-corruption agency’s silent operations. “All district/city governments have been called one by one by the KPK (for corruption prevention consultations), our hope is that everyone can maintain clean governance and good management,” she stated. Regarding the ongoing legal processes, Khofifah said she can only fully respect the supremacy of law and leave all decisions to law enforcement. “But if (corruption) has already happened like this, then hand over the legal process, because that is the KPK’s authority,” she said. The KPK’s crackdown in East Java following the inauguration of the 2024 election regional heads began with former Regent of Ponorogo Sugiri Sancoko, who was caught in a hand arrest operation (OTT) in November 2025. Sugiri was ensnared in a case of bribery for positions and hospital projects. Meanwhile, former Mayor of Madiun Maidi was arrested in January 2026 on allegations of extorting CSR funds and receiving gratuities worth Rp 2.25 billion. The latest case drawing attention is the OTT against Regent of Tulungagung Gatut Sunu Wibowo, carried out by the KPK on Friday night, 10 April 2026. Gatut was nabbed on allegations of extorting officials in regional apparatus organisations (OPD) within his administration.