KPK Conducts 18th Sting Operation of 2026, Arrests Pemalang Regent Anom Widiyantoro

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has conducted its 18th sting operation of 2026, arresting Pemalang Regent Anom Widiyantoro. “Correct,” said KPK Deputy Chairperson Fitroh Rohcahyanto to journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday. The KPK has 24 hours to determine the legal status of those arrested in the operation, in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP). Previously, the KPK held a coordination meeting on corruption prevention with the Pemalang Regent and the Pemalang Regency administration on 16 June 2025. During that meeting, the KPK highlighted three corruption-prone areas within the Pemalang Regency Government: budgeting, procurement of goods and services, and human resource management. Responding to this, the Pemalang Regent had stated his commitment to implementing reforms for the welfare of the community, noting that the administration was learning from a previous sting operation against the former Pemalang Regent for the 2021-2025 period, Mukti Agung Wibowo. This latest arrest is part of a series of operations by the KPK throughout 2026. The first operation of the year occurred on 9-10 January. In the same month, the KPK arrested the Mayor of Madiun, Maidi, in the second operation, and the Regent of Pati, Sudewo, in the third. February saw the arrest of the Head of the Banjarmasin Medium Tax Office in the fourth operation, and the former Director of Enforcement and Investigation at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Rizal, who was serving as Head of the West Sumatra Regional Customs Office, in the fifth. The sixth operation resulted in the arrest of the Chief Judge of the Depok District Court, I Wayan Eka Mariarta, and the Deputy Chief Judge, Bambang Setyawan. During March, which coincided with Ramadan, the KPK arrested the Regent of Pekalongan, Fadia Arafiq, the Regent of Rejang Lebong, Muhammad Fikri Thobari, and the Regent of Cilacap, Syamsul Auliya Rachman, in three separate operations. The Regent of Tulungagung, Gatut Sunu Wibowo, was arrested in the tenth operation in April, while no operations were conducted in May. In June, the KPK’s activities led the Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Silmy Karim, to surrender himself. This was followed by the arrest of the Regent of Muara Enim, Edison, in the 12th operation, and a civil servant from the Audit Board of Indonesia in the 13th, which was a follow-up to a previous sting. The Regent of Kuantan Singingi, Suhardiman Amby, also surrendered following the 14th operation. In July, the KPK arrested the Regent of Langkat, Syah Afandin alias Ondim, in the 15th operation, the Regent of Sukoharjo, Etik Suryani, in the 16th, and the Regent of West Lombok, Lalu Ahmad Zaini, in the 17th.