KPK summons former Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi in Semarang, Central Java

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has summoned former Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi in the city of Semarang, Central Java. According to KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo speaking to journalists in Jakarta on Monday, the examination took place at the office of the Central Java Provincial Representative of the Financial and Development Supervisory Board (BPKP).

Budi explained that Sumadi was summoned for investigation purposes regarding alleged bribery in railway construction and maintenance projects within the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) at the Transport Ministry. Additionally, the KPK summoned an employee of PT Istana Putra Agung with initials AS for investigation into the DJKA case.

The case initially emerged from a hand-catch operation (OTT) conducted by the KPK on 11 April 2023 at the Technical Railway Building Class I Central Java Region of DJKA Transport Ministry. This facility has since been renamed the Technical Railway Building Class I Semarang.

Following the initial operation, the KPK designated 10 suspects who were directly detained in connection with the alleged corruption case involving railway construction and maintenance projects in Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. As of 20 January 2026, the KPK has designated and detained a total of 21 suspects. The KPK has also designated two corporations as defendants in the case.

The alleged corruption offences involved multiple railway construction projects, including: the Solo Balapan-Kadipiro-Kalioso double-track railway development project; railway development projects in Makassar, South Sulawesi; four railway construction projects and two supervision projects in Cianjur Lampegan, West Java; and level crossing improvement projects spanning Java and Sumatra.

In the development and maintenance of these projects, there is suspected to have been manipulation of project winner selection by certain parties through engineering from the administrative process through to tender winner determination.

Sumadi had previously been examined by the KPK in this case. He was last questioned as a witness in the alleged DJKA corruption case on 26 July 2023. On 18 February 2026, the KPK again summoned Sumadi; however, he was unable to attend due to a conflicting schedule. The KPK subsequently rescheduled the examination for 25 February 2026, but Sumadi again could not attend. The examination was ultimately scheduled for 2 March 2026.