Minister Raja Juli Remains Silent on Kuansing Regent's Envelope Inquiry
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni declined to comment when asked about the alleged receipt of Sin$14,000 from the Regent of Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing), Riau Province, Suhardiman Amby. Raja Juli was attending a meeting with DPR leaders on agrarian affairs at the parliament complex on Tuesday (11/8). When questioned about the receipt of the money and information that the return of the funds was incomplete, Raja Juli did not answer and immediately got into his car. “We are talking about agrarian reform today,” said Raja Juli.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) previously stated that Raja Juli Antoni is suspected of receiving Sin$14,000 from Kuansing Regent Suhardiman Amby. The money, which was placed in an envelope, is alleged to be related to the process of releasing limited production forest areas. “Investigators found that besides the alleged payment from the Kuansing regent to the Minister of Forestry amounting to approximately Sin$14,000, there are suspected other payments made by officials within the Kuansing Regency Government to parties at the Ministry of Forestry,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo at the Merah Putih Building, Jakarta, on Wednesday (5/8) afternoon.
Budi added that not all of the money has been returned to the KPK. “From the investigation so far, it is suspected that the return made by the Ministry of Forestry to the Kuansing Regency Government from the Sin$14,000 allegedly given in early June has been carried out,” said Budi. “However, the return is still being verified because investigators found that the full Sin$14,000 has not been returned,” he added. Previously, both the KPK and Raja Juli confirmed the receipt of money from Kuansing Regent Suhardiman Amby. Raja Juli had also reported a rejection of gratuities after Suhardiman’s alleged corruption case was uncovered through a Sting Operation (OTT). However, the KPK rejected the report and stated it would further investigate Raja Juli’s role in the ongoing investigation.