KPK: Silmy Karim continued to receive money while serving as deputy minister

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated that Deputy Minister for Immigration and Corrections for the 2024-2026 period, Silmy Karim, continued to receive money from an alleged extortion scheme related to foreign nationals’ residence permits whilst serving as deputy minister. “The evidence we have, the notes captured show that SK was already receiving money before becoming deputy minister. Then, since becoming deputy minister, he knew about such allocations and continued the processes,” said Acting Director of Investigation at the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday. Similarly, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution at the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, said initial investigations indicated Silmy received money from his tenure as Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights for the 2023-2024 period until he became Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections for the 2024-2026 period. “What we have found so far, based on witness testimony and the individual concerned, is that it lasted from his time as director general and continued when he became deputy minister,” said Asep. In the operation, the KPK arrested 17 people consisting of eight state officials or civil servants, and nine private parties who acted as intermediaries in processing immigration documents. Among the 17 are the Head of the Class I Special Non-TPI Immigration Office in West Jakarta, Ronald Arman Abdullah; the Head of the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration for West Java, Jaya Saputra, who previously served as Director of Residence Permits and Immigration Status from November 2024 to October 2025; and the Acting Director General of Immigration for the October 2024-April 2025 period, Saffar Muhammad Godam. On 4 June 2026, Silmy Karim (SK), Saffar Muhammad Godam (SMG), Jaya Saputra (JS), Ronald Arman Abdullah (RAA), and four others officially became suspects and detainees of the KPK after appearing wearing the anti-corruption body’s orange vests. The four others are Head of Sub-Directorate at the Directorate of Residence Permits and Immigration Status, Tessar Bayu Setyaji (TBS) and Bagus Bramantyo (BGS); Head of the ITAS Status Transfer Team, Juniadi Sri Priambudi (JSP); and Staff of the Sub-Directorate of Residence Permits, Gusti Benardiansyah (GST). They were named suspects by the KPK in a case of alleged extortion in the processing of foreign nationals’ residence permits during 2022-2026, which occurred within the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and moved to the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. They are suspected of collecting Rp145.5 billion during that period.