KPK to Evaluate Anti-Corruption Prevention After Two Former Acting Regents Caught in Sting Operations

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated it will evaluate its corruption prevention efforts after two regional heads, who previously served as acting regents, were caught in sting operations (OTT). The two are Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby and Langkat Regent Syah Afandin.

Acting Director of KPK Investigations Achmad Taufik Husein said at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Friday evening that enforcement actions against regional heads still depend on the integrity of each official, despite the various prevention measures the KPK has implemented.

“Why did an acting official who then became a regent get caught in an OTT? This comes back to the awareness of the state official,” Taufik said. “We have carried out prevention efforts. There is monitoring, even the Integrity Assessment Survey (SPI). We have made maximum efforts for prevention.”

Nevertheless, Taufik said the KPK’s Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring would evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programmes after the enforcement actions. “This is part of the evaluation in prevention because we have a post-enforcement prevention programme,” he said. “Because this originated from a public complaint, enforcement will continue to work, although there will be an evaluation from the prevention side.”

Suhardiman Amby previously served as Vice Regent of Kuantan Singingi for the 2021–2025 period before becoming acting regent after Regent Andi Putra was caught in a KPK sting operation in an alleged bribery case. Meanwhile, Syah Afandin had served as Vice Regent of Langkat for the 2019–2024 period before becoming acting regent, replacing Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, who was also caught in a KPK sting operation in an alleged bribery case.