KPK: PT SMS Previously Involved in Corruption Cases Outside Rejang Lebong
Jakarta — The Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that PT SMS was previously implicated in a separate corruption case involving bribery within the Bengkulu Provincial Government in 2017, which was investigated by the KPK and resulted in a guilty verdict.
This disclosure came ahead of fresh corruption allegations involving PT SMS in the Rejang Lebong Regency government, which the anti-corruption agency announced on 11 March 2026.
“We are conveying this information so that state administrators in Indonesia, particularly in Bengkulu, do not select goods and service providers that have previously been implicated in corruption offences,” said Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution at the KPK, during a statement at KPK headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Rahayu emphasised that selecting vendors with corruption histories would likely result in repeated offences. He expressed hope that state administrators in Bengkulu would henceforth select clean service providers who perform their work properly and correctly.
The latest allegations emerged following a coordinated arrest operation on 9 March 2026, in which the KPK arrested Rejang Lebong Regent Muhammad Fikri Thobari, Vice Regent Hendri, and 11 others in connection with suspected bribery related to projects within the Rejang Lebong Regency government.
On 10 March 2026, the KPK transported the regent and vice regent to Jakarta along with seven others for intensive questioning. The same day, Muhammad Fikri Thobari was named as one of five suspects in the alleged corruption and bribery case.
On 11 March 2026, the KPK publicly identified the suspects as: Muhammad Fikri Thobari (regent), Hary Eko Purnomo (head of the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing and Settlement Services Department), Irsyad Satria Budiman (private sector representative from PT Statika Mitra Sarana), Edi Manggala (private sector representative from CV Manggala Utama), and Youki Yusdiantoro (private sector representative from CV Alpagker Abadi).
They are suspected of engaging in bribery related to project contracts within the Rejang Lebong Regency government for the 2025–2026 financial year.