KPK Rejects Forestry Minister Raja Juli's Gratuity Report on Envelope from Kuansing Regent
The case of an envelope from Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Regent Suhardiman Amby to Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has entered a new chapter. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated that the report regarding the envelope’s return by Raja Juli to Suhardiman will not be followed up by the Gratification Directorate because the matter has already entered the investigation stage.
Compiled by detikcom on Friday (17/7/2026), the KPK announced on Wednesday (1/7/2026) that Suhardiman Amby had been named a suspect for alleged bribery. Suhardiman is suspected of receiving a Toyota Land Cruiser worth Rp 2 billion in exchange for selecting Zulkarnain as Regional Secretary. The KPK also suspects Suhardiman received a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport from Zulkarnain while serving as Acting Regent. Suhardiman became Acting Regent of Kuansing after Andi Putra, the previous Regent, was caught in a sting operation in 2021.
A total of three individuals have been named as suspects: Suhardiman Amby (Regent of Kuansing), Zulkarnain (Regional Secretary of Kuansing), and Ardiles (Director of PT MIC). Beyond the bribery case, the KPK suspects Suhardiman received money from several Village Unit Cooperatives (KUD) whose members are farmers, in connection with processing forest conversion permits. The authority for conversion permits lies with the Ministry of Forestry, while the local government provides technical recommendations.
Raja Juli previously spoke out on Friday (3/7), explaining that Suhardiman left an envelope inside a folder after an open meeting at his office on 2 June 2026. He claimed he immediately asked his aide to return the envelope. “During the audience, the Regent of Kuansing left an envelope covered by a folder. When he left, I realised it, and I immediately asked my aide to return the envelope. I don’t know what was inside, but I felt I had no right to it,” Raja Juli stated. He said the envelope was returned to the Regent in Kuansing on 12 June 2026, 17 days before the KPK’s sting operation. He presented a receipt and photos of the return meeting, adding that he personally called the Riau Police Chief to facilitate the meeting between his aide and the Regent at the Kuansing Police Station.
Raja Juli subsequently reported the matter to the KPK as a gratuity on Friday (3/7), a move that drew criticism from members of the House of Representatives who argued the report should have been made immediately. The KPK later analysed the report and stated that returning the money does not eliminate the criminal element.
On Thursday (9/7), the KPK announced it had seized the money from the envelope returned by Raja Juli. Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said the money was confiscated during the examination of Kuansing DPRD Chairman Juprizal as a witness. The seized money amounted to SGD 12,000 (approximately Rp 168 million). Juprizal is suspected of knowing about the Regent’s collection of money from Village Unit Cooperatives for forest conversion matters. The KPK stated the seized money is believed to be part of the funds returned by the Ministry of Forestry.
Investigators are still probing the process of the money collection by the Regent from KUD members and questioned Juprizal regarding the application for the conversion of protected forest in Kuansing. The KPK noted many aspects still need to be investigated, including why the money was in Juprizal’s possession, who placed the envelope during the meeting between Suhardiman and Raja Juli, and the details of various meetings related to the money. Investigators are also looking into whether the SGD 12,000 represents the total amount in the returned envelope or if there were other envelopes.
On Thursday (16/7), the KPK confirmed it had completed the verification and analysis of Raja Juli’s gratuity rejection report. The analysis was guided by Article 14 of KPK Regulation Number 1 of 2026 concerning Amendments to KPK Regulation Number 2 of 2019 on Gratuity Reporting. The KPK stated that one of the analyses used by the gratuity team refers to Article 14, which stipulates that a gratuity report cannot be processed.