The Anatomy of a Project Bribery Case That Made the Langkat Regent a Suspect

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Langkat Regent Syah Afandin a suspect in a corruption case involving project bribes within the Langkat Regency Government. Acting KPK Director of Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein stated during a press conference that a private party and member of Syah Afandin’s campaign team for the 2024 Regional Election, Yaqub Abdhal Al Mu’arif, received work packages in the Education Office and the Housing and Settlement Office through a Direct Procurement method. The details included 80 work packages totalling Rp 9.5 billion in the Education Office and 5 work packages worth Rp 748 million in the Housing and Settlement Office. Syah Afandin, who serves as Regent for the 2025-2030 period, allegedly requested a 10 percent fee from the Education Office projects and a 17 percent fee from the Housing and Settlement Office projects. The agreed fee amounted to Rp 990 million for the education projects and Rp 126.8 million for the housing projects. By 5 April 2026, Yaqub had handed over a total of Rp 800 million to Syah. At the end of June 2026, Syah again requested Rp 300 million as part of the fee commitment, but on 1 July 2026, Yaqub stated he could only provide Rp 100 million. During the sting operation, the KPK secured various pieces of evidence, including 55 kilogrammes of platinum and foreign currency worth Rp 1.22 billion. The suspects named in the case are Langkat Regent Syah Afandin and his campaign team member Yaqub Abdhal Al Mu’arif.