Unusual Aspects in the KPK’s Sting Operation Against Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq (FAR) as a suspect after being caught in a sting operation (OTT). There are unusual aspects in this case.
According to a summary by detikcom on Thursday 5 March 2026, the KPK carried out the OTT from Monday 2 March to Tuesday 3 March in Pekalongan and Semarang. After conducting interrogations, the KPK named Fadia as the sole suspect in this OTT, although twelve other people were also detained during the operation.
Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Hidayat, said the case relates to a company founded by Fadia’s child and husband, namely PT Raja Nusantara Berjaya (RNB). Fadia is suspected to be the beneficial owner (BO) of the company.
The company also included Fadia’s campaign team. The KPK suspects Fadia asked local government officials in Pekalongan to secure contracts for outsourcing services for that company.
PT RNB secured outsourcing projects in 17 local government units, three regional hospitals and one district in 2025. Asep said PT RNB earned Rp 46 billion from contracts with the Pekalongan regency government between 2023 and 2026.
“Of that money, only Rp 22 billion was used for paying outsourcing staff salaries. The remainder, totalling Rp 19 billion, was enjoyed and distributed to the regent’s family,” he said.
Details:
Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq: Rp 5.5 billion;
Fadia’s husband, Ashraff: Rp 1.1 billion;
Director of PT RNB, Rul Bayatun: Rp 2.3 billion;
Fadia’s child, Sabiq: Rp 4.6 billion;
Fadia’s child, Mehnaz Na: Rp 2.5 billion;
Cash withdrawals: Rp 3 billion.
Fadia has been charged under Article 12(i) and 12(B) of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor). Article 12(i) prohibits officials from participating in procurement tenders. The application of Article 12(i) in an OTT is the first time the KPK has employed this provision.
“The construction of the case and the application of Article 12(i) in this Pekalongan OTT are the first within the KPK. This also demonstrates that the modus operandi of corruption continues to metamorphose into something more complex and sophisticated,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo.
Article 12(i) states: “Penalities include life imprisonment or fixed terms from four to twenty years, and fines from Rp 200,000,000 to Rp 1,000,000,000: i. Civil servants or government organisers who, directly or indirectly, deliberately participate in contracting, procurement, or leasing, where they are tasked with managing or supervising all or part of the activity at the time of the act.”
Usually, the KPK applies bribery provisions under Article 5 and Article 11 of the Corruption Eradication Law, which have since been amended to Articles 605 and 606 of the Penal Code, or Article 12(a) or (b) of the Corruption Eradication Law. In addition, the KPK has previously applied extortion provisions under Article 12(e) of the Corruption Eradication Law and Article 12B on gratification related to OTT.
Sting Operation Continues Even If Not Bribery
Even though the case is not a bribery case, the KPK emphasised that the handling of the Fadia case is part of a sting operation. The KPK said it had found items believed to have been used by the Pekalongan Regent to commit a corruption offence when it arrested Fadia and others.
This is in line with Article 1(40)(d) of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which states: “A person is arrested in the act, and then, at that moment, items are found that are suspected of having been used to commit a crime, indicating the perpetrator or accomplice.” The items found in the OTT against Fadia are:
A mobile phone containing WhatsApp conversations about the management and requests for money by the Pekalongan Regent from the funds of PT RNB;
A laptop containing documents related to the financial reports and bookkeeping of PT RNB;
Documents related to outsourcing work activities in Pekalongan’s departments conducted by PT RNB.
The Modus Operandi Is Beginning to Change
Former KPK investigator Yudi Purnomo Harahap assessed that the application of Article 12(i) against Fadia signals a shift in corrupt activity. He said regional corruption cases usually involve bribes from those seeking to win tenders.
“This is the first time (the application of Article 12(i) in an OTT). Normally, the charges are bribery, extortion, bundled with gratification under 12B,” Yudi said on Thursday 5 March 2026.
“In other words, there is now a change from the previous pattern where money came from businessmen seeking to win tenders and run government projects; now the entire operation is run through the individual,” he added.
Yudi said the KPK’s use of Article 12(i) in this case is appropriate. He noted a possibility that Fadia may have known she could be implicated if she accepted money directly from the company.
“Then she had the idea to run the procurement through her own company. If she used her company, other charges could apply,” he said.