KPK to Demand Return of US$10,000 from Buol Regent

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will carry out the order of the Central Jakarta Corruption Court panel of judges requesting Buol Regent Risharyudi Triwibowo to return US$10,000 or the equivalent of Rp 150 million.

Risharyudi, a former Special Staff member of the Minister of Manpower for the 2019-2024 period under Ida Fauziyah, admitted to receiving the money from the Director General of Labor Placement Development (Dirjen Binapenta) at the Ministry of Manpower (2024-2025) Haryanto—a defendant in a case of alleged extortion and/or receipt of gratuities related to the Foreign Worker Employment Plan (RPTKA).

“If that is indeed a court order, it will naturally be followed up and carried out, because one of the duties of public prosecutors is to execute court orders,” KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said when contacted via written message on Sunday (15/2).

Consequently, the KPK is open to summoning Risharyudi again. The summons would not merely be to demand the return of the money but also to seek information regarding facts that emerged during the previous trial.

Risharyudi appeared as a witness presented by KPK prosecutors in the RPTKA trial at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (12/2). During the hearing, Risharyudi admitted to receiving Rp 160 million as well as Blackpink concert tickets from Director General of Binapenta (2024-2025) Haryanto, who is a defendant in the alleged extortion and/or gratuity case. Haryanto also previously served as the Minister of Manpower’s Expert Staff for International Relations.

“Did the witness ever receive any amount of money or goods from the eight defendants before you?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes, from Pak Haryanto,” Risharyudi answered.

He said the first payment from Haryanto was Rp 10 million in 2024. At the time, Haryanto was still serving as Director of PPTKA under Ditjen Binapenta at the Ministry of Manpower, while Risharyudi was on Minister Ida Fauziyah’s assistance team.

Risharyudi explained that he used the money to buy a plane ticket to Central Sulawesi, as he was running as a legislative candidate at the time.

“How much was it, witness?” the prosecutor asked.

“About Rp 10 million,” Risharyudi said.

The second payment was US$10,000 or approximately Rp 150 million. He claimed, like the first, this was also a loan.

“I’m not sure of the connection, but it was close to the election at the time. I said, ‘Pak Har, if there’s a budget available, could I borrow some for election matters?’ Then Pak Haryanto said he didn’t have the financial means at the time, but if something became available later, he could help,” Risharyudi recounted.

“In rupiah terms, how much is US$10,000?” the prosecutor asked.

“About Rp 150 million at the time,” Risharyudi explained.

“You received that around 2024, correct?” the prosecutor confirmed.

“2024,” Risharyudi answered.

He said the money was ultimately used to buy a secondhand Harley-Davidson motorcycle without proper documentation through the OLX platform. He claimed the motorcycle was his child’s wish.

“And regarding the Blackpink concert tickets?” the prosecutor probed.

“I took the tickets and left them in the office because I’m not really into Blackpink,” Risharyudi replied.

Risharyudi added that Rp 10 million had already been returned through the KPK’s collection account. The return was made during a summons for a witness examination statement (BAP).

“Then during the second BAP, after receiving the money receipt, I disclosed that there was something I had forgotten—the forgotten item was the 10,000 (US dollars), which I used to buy a motorcycle. I was then asked to return it to the state. I have returned the motorcycle,” Risharyudi said.

On this matter, the panel of judges ordered Risharyudi to return the US$10,000 to the KPK, as the undocumented motorcycle would be worth very little at auction.

“I don’t care about that motorcycle money. The motorcycle is already undocumented, beat-up, whatever you call it. You borrowed money, return it in the form of money. If the motorcycle is worth Rp 5 million or Rp 10 million as the associate judge says, who would buy it?” said associate judge Ida Ayu Mustikawati.

“Understood, Your Honor,” Risharyudi replied.

Eight former officials at the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower have been charged with extortion related to the processing of Foreign Worker Employment Plans (RPTKA). The defendants allegedly received Rp 135.29 billion between 2017 and 2025.

The eight defendants are Gatot Widiartono as Head of the Maritime and Agriculture Subdirectorate at Ditjen Binapenta & PKK (2019-2021), concurrently serving as Commitment-Making Official for PPTKA (2019-2024) and Coordinator for Foreign Worker Analysis and Control at the PPTKA Directorate (2021-2025).

Then Putri Citra Wahyoe, Jamal Shodiqin, and Alfa Eshad, who were staff at the PPTKA Directorate under Ditjen Binapenta & PKK (2019-2024).

Also Director General of Binapenta & PKK (2020-2023) Suhartono, and PPTKA Director (2019-2024) who was appointed Director General of Binapenta (2024-2025) Haryanto.

Additionally, PPTKA Director (2017-2019) Wisnu Pramono, and Coordinator for PPTKA Endorsement Feasibility Assessment (2020-July 2024) who was appointed PPTKA Director (2024-2025) Devi Angraeni.

Prosecutors detailed the amounts received by each defendant: Suhartono received Rp 460 million (2020-2023); Haryanto received Rp 84.7 billion plus one Innova Reborn vehicle with plate number B 1354 HKY (2018-2025); Wisnu Pramono received Rp 25.1 billion plus one Vespa Primavera motorcycle with plate number B 4880 BUQ (2017-2019); Devi Angraeni received Rp 3.25 billion (2017-2025); Gatot Widiartono received Rp 9.47 billion (2018-2025).

Furthermore, Putri Citra Wahyoe received Rp 6.39 billion (2017-2025), Alfa Eshad received Rp 5.23 billion (2017-2025), and Jamal Shodiqin received Rp 551.1 million (2017-2025).

The money came from foreign worker agents, both individuals and employment agency companies, totaling Rp 135.29 billion.

RPTKA is a permit for the employment of foreign workers for specific positions and periods. Every employer is required to apply to Ditjen Binapenta and PKK at the Ministry of Manpower.

“Between 2017 and 2025, there were 1,134,823 RPTKA endorsements at the PPTKA Directorate, with charges ranging from Rp 300,000 to Rp 800,000 per foreign worker, resulting in a total of Rp 135.29 billion collected from business owners or RPTKA permit processing agency companies,” prosecutors stated while reading the indictment at the trial on Friday, December 12, 2025.

The defendants have been charged with violating Article 12 letter e or Article 12 B in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law, in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 point 1 of the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.