Langkat Regent Named Suspect in Project Bribery Case, Former Campaign Aide Also Implicated
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Langkat Regent Syah Afandin (SAF) and his former campaign aide, YQB, as suspects in a suspected bribery case related to projects within the Langkat Regency Government, North Sumatra, for the 2025-2026 period. “The KPK has elevated this case to the investigation stage and named two individuals as suspects. First, SAF, the Regent of Langkat for the 2025-2030 period. Second, YQB, a private party and former member of SAF’s campaign team during the 2024 regional election,” said Acting Director of Investigation at the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, on Saturday.
The determination of the two suspects was based on the sufficiency of evidence. SAF, as the alleged recipient of bribes, is suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or letter b and/or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001. As for YQB, the alleged bribe giver, he is suspected of violating Article 605 or Article 606 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code.
“The KPK has subsequently detained the suspects for an initial 20-day period, effective from 3 to 22 July 2026,” he stated. Syah Afandin is being detained at the KPK’s Red and White Building Detention Centre in Jakarta, while suspect YQB is temporarily being held at the Medan Police Detention Centre in North Sumatra. Previously, on Friday morning, the KPK confirmed it had conducted a sting operation against Syah Afandin, also known as Ondim. During the operation, the KPK also arrested six other individuals in the Langkat, Binjai, and Medan areas of North Sumatra, comprising one civil servant from the Langkat Regency and five private individuals. In addition to securing the parties involved, the KPK seized cash amounting to hundreds of millions of rupiah, which is suspected to be related to project bribes within the Langkat Regency Education Office and the Langkat Regency Housing and Settlement Office.