Two-Term Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq Continues to Insist She Does Not Understand How to Run Government

Fadia Arafiq, the Pekalongan regent, has been named as a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in a case involving the procurement of outsourcing services at several Pekalongan Regency government agencies during 2023–2026. She is suspected of interceding to ensure that the company she founded, PT RNB (Raja Nusantara Berjaya), secured outsourcing contracts across multiple Pekalongan Regency formations. She is alleged to have committed acts of corruption under Article 12(i) and Article 12(B) of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Tindak Pidana Korupsi, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Article 127(1) of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana (KUHP). Fadia argued that her background as a dangdut singer meant she did not understand these provisions. “In the intensive examination, she explained that she comes from a dangdut musician background, not a bureaucrat and does not understand the law or the governance of local government,” said Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, at a press conference at the Gedung Merah Putih, Jakarta, on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. Asep said the actions by Fadia contradicted the principle of presumption iuris de iure or the theory of legal fiction. “Moreover, she is a regent or public official for two terms and has previously served as Vice Regent from 2011–2016,” he added. “The Secretary of the Regional Secretariat and several others have repeatedly reminded the Regent about potential conflicts of interest in the procurement,” Asep stated. “Nevertheless, the practices continued by the Regent.” Despite claiming not to understand governance, Fadia has been Pekalongan regent for two terms. According to the Pekalongan Setda Prokompim site, Fadia Arafiq is the Pekalongan Regent for the periods 2021–2025 and 2025–2030. In the first term, she partnered with Riswadi; in the second, Sukirman became her partner in the Pekalongan Regency government.