KPK: KITAS Has Been a Corridor for Corruption from 2022 Until Now

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced that a case of alleged extortion in processing foreign nationals’ residence permits at the Directorate General of Immigration, which has ensnared Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections Silmy Karim, took place during the 2022–2026 period. “The tempus (time of the incident) of the case is from 2022 to 2026,” said KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday (4/6). Setyo stated that this means the case occurred when the Directorate General of Immigration was still under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, before it later moved to the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. Previously, on 3 June 2026, the KPK confirmed it had conducted a sting operation at the West Jakarta Class I Special Non-TPI Immigration Office. This operation is known to be the 11th carried out by the KPK during 2026. The operation is connected to alleged processing of residence permits for foreign nationals, namely Permanent Stay Permit Cards (KITAP) and Limited Stay Permit Cards (KITAS). During the operation conducted from 2 to 3 June 2026, the KPK arrested 17 people, consisting of eight state officials or civil servants, and nine private sector individuals acting as intermediaries in processing immigration documents. Among the 17 are Head of the West Jakarta Class I Special Non-TPI Immigration Office Ronald Arman Abdullah, Head of the West Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration Jaya Saputra, who previously served as Director of Stay Permits and Immigration Status from November 2024 to October 2025, and Acting Director General of Immigration for the period October 2024 to April 2025, Saffar Muhammad Godam. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections Silmy Karim surrendered himself by arriving at the KPK on 3 June 2026. On 4 June 2026, Silmy Karim, Saffar Muhammad Godam, Jaya Saputra, Ronald Arman Abdullah, and four others officially became suspects and detainees of the KPK after appearing wearing the anti-corruption agency’s orange vests. The other four individuals are Head of Sub-Directorate at the Directorate of Stay Permits and Immigration Status Tessar Bayu Setyaji, Bagus Bramantyo, Head of the ITAS Status Transfer Team Juniadi Sri Priambudi, and Staff of the Sub-Directorate of Stay Permits and Immigration Status Gusti Benardiansyah. Setyo stated that the KPK suspects Silmy Karim began demanding payouts since serving as Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights from 2023 to 2024. The KPK uncovered corrupt practices in processing WNA residence permits (KITAS/KITAP) during the sting operation involving the Head of the West Jakarta Immigration Office. Setyo said the investigation into the case was also supported by financial transaction report data from the PPATK. He urged all parties to wait for the legal process to run its course until the case file is declared to have sufficient evidence to be tested in court. Based on the State Officials’ Wealth Report, Silmy Karim had a total wealth of Rp234.59 billion in the 2025 periodic reporting year.