KPK Suspects Kuansing Regent Also Extorted Levies from Farmers

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Regent Suhardiman Amby a suspect in an alleged bribery case concerning the selection of the Kuansing Regional Secretary. The KPK has also uncovered evidence of other alleged receipts by Suhardiman. “In addition to the alleged criminal act of bribery for a position within the Kuansing Regency Government, the KPK also found evidence of other alleged receipts by SA related to the release of Limited Production Forest (HPT) areas,” said Acting KPK Director of Investigations Achmad Taufik Husein during a press conference at the KPK building on Wednesday (1/6/2026). He stated that the regional government is the authority responsible for providing technical recommendations for the release of forest land, while the full authority for releasing forest areas lies with the Ministry of Forestry. Achmad Taufik explained that the money demanded by Suhardiman was partly the surplus earnings from members of village unit cooperatives (KUD). The KUD members are farmers in Kuansing. “The money demanded is suspected to be a portion of the Surplus Earnings (SHU) of KUD members, who are farmers in Kuansing. In other words, the income of these farmers, which amounts to hundreds of thousands of rupiah per month, had to be cut in half,” he said. Previously, the KPK revealed that Suhardiman received a Toyota Land Cruiser from Zulkarnain in connection with the regional secretary selection process. Suhardiman is also suspected of receiving a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport from Zulkarnain in 2021 for the selection of the Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR) Agency. The Pajero was allegedly given by Zulkarnain when Suhardiman was serving as Acting Regent of Kuansing. Suhardiman became Acting Regent after the then Kuansing Regent, Andi Putra, was arrested in a corruption case. In total, three individuals have been named as suspects. The list is as follows: 1. Suhardiman Amby, as Kuansing Regent; 2. Zulkarnain, as Kuansing Regional Secretary; 3. Ardiles, as President Director of PT MIC.