West Lombok Regent Allegedly Received Billions of Rupiah and Hermes Bag

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has officially announced suspects arising from a sting operation (Operasi Tangkap Tangan) in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB).

Of the 20 people caught in the operation, three have been named suspects by the KPK in an alleged corruption case involving conflicts of interest in the procurement of goods and services, bribery, and other forms of gratification within the West Lombok Regency Government.

The suspects are the West Lombok Regent for the 2025–2030 term, Lalu Ahmad Zaini; the Director of PT Air Minum Giri Menang, Sudirman; and the Director of PT Meconel Sistim Instrument (MSI), Alvonsus Gani.

“Based on valid preliminary evidence, the KPK elevated this case to the investigation stage and named three individuals as suspects,” said Acting Director of KPK Investigation, Achmad Taufik Husein, at a press conference at the Merah Putih building in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/7).

The suspects were still undergoing questioning as the press conference took place. They will subsequently be detained for an initial period of 20 days.

The following is the full breakdown of the case:

Conflict of interest

Taufik explained that the case began with a public complaint report regarding alleged corruption within the West Lombok Regency Government, which the KPK followed up through preliminary inquiries.

Lalu Ahmad, as regent, allegedly instructed the Head of the Public Works, Spatial Planning and Settlement Areas Agency (PUPRPKP) of West Lombok, Lalu Ratnawi, to help Sudirman, Director of PT Air Minum Giri Menang, secure project work packages at the PUPRPKP Agency for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

Sudirman then used CV Dyas Karya Konstruksi (DKK), a company he owned, as a ‘bucket pool’ for the projects.

Sudirman allegedly ‘borrowed the flag’ of a number of providers, so that CV DKK’s name was not recorded administratively as the winner of projects at the West Lombok PUPRPKP Agency.

This was done so that CV DKK would not be publicly exposed for conflicts of interest in the execution of those project packages.

Sudirman subsequently sent a list of project work packages at the West Lombok PUPRPKP Agency, along with the names of providers that would carry them out, to the head of the agency.

During the technical procurement process, Taufik explained, the Goods and Services Procurement Committee (PBJ) added a requirement for letters of support from prospective vendors — for instance, regarding ownership of certain equipment or supporting suppliers demonstrating capacity to complete the project.

These support letters were allegedly used as an instrument to obstruct other prospective vendors.

The providers in question then won project packages at the PUPRPKP Agency worth a total of Rp17.9 billion, through both tender and direct appointment.

Awarded through tender: the rehabilitation of Gerung City Park for fiscal year 2025 worth Rp2.3 billion; the second phase of the Gerung City Park rehabilitation for fiscal year 2026 worth Rp4.3 billion; construction of an office building for fiscal year 2025 worth Rp2.4 billion; and renovation of the West Lombok Regent’s office building worth Rp1.7 billion.

Awarded through direct appointment: eight work packages at the Public Works Agency for fiscal year 2025 worth Rp3.4 billion; four work packages at the General Affairs Division for fiscal year 2025 worth Rp2 billion; and 16 work packages at PT Air Minum Giri Menang, the regional drinking water company, for fiscal year 2025 worth Rp1.8 billion.

However, Taufik said, the projects were taken over by CV DKK, which then subcontracted them to other firms. Full control remained with CV DKK.

Of the project packages worth a total of Rp17.9 billion, Sudirman allegedly paid a fee of 3 per cent to the providers whose names he borrowed, and obtained profits of around Rp10.6 billion through CV DKK.

In addition, Sudirman, through CV DKK, allegedly received sums of money related to procurement at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) and the Youth and Sports Agency (Dispora) of West Lombok Regency, worth Rp31.1 billion. Taufik said investigators would examine those receipts further.

“Of the Rp41.7 billion received by SUD [Sudirman] through CV DKK, some of it was channelled to LAZ [Lalu Ahmad Zaini] as regent, amounting to Rp10.8 billion,” Taufik revealed.

Bribery

Beyond the alleged conflict of interest in procurement at the PUPRPKP Agency and other agencies, Lalu Ahmad is also suspected of receiving money, goods and facilities from Alvonsus Gani, Director of PT MSI.

PT MSI is a vendor of PT Air Minum Giri Menang, the regional drinking water company in West Lombok.

During the 2024–2026 period, PT MSI — through Sudirman, on the orders of Lalu Ahmad — secured a number of clean water management projects in West Lombok Regency worth Rp27.1 billion.

In return, PT MSI allegedly routinely provided goods, facilities and cash to Lalu Ahmad amounting to more than Rp1.6 billion.

These included a Toyota Alphard worth Rp1.2 billion; a pair of Hermes shoes worth Rp19 million; travel accommodation on the Lombok–Jakarta route (the regent frequently travelled return trips between Lombok and Jakarta); cash of at least Rp380 million; an iPhone 17 Pro worth Rp26 million; and one sacrificial cow worth Rp17 million.

Gratification

Taufik revealed that the KPK also found alleged gratuities received by Sudirman and Lalu Ahmad.

In detail, in 2025, Lalu Ahmad allegedly requested the collection of money in the run-up to Idul Fitri of roughly Rp500 million to Rp750 million.

Then, still in 2025, Sudirman asked Lalu Ratnawi, as head of the PUPRPKP Agency, to collect money or fees from Public Works Agency projects for the regent’s benefit.

Sudirman subsequently handed over that money in cash.

Meanwhile, in March 2026, Sudirman allegedly received Rp250 million.

In April 2026, ahead of Idul Fitri, the head of the PUPRPKP Agency, through his driver, allegedly gave Rp100 million to Sudirman.

“Of the money received by LAZ [Lalu Ahmad Zaini], much of it is suspected to have been used to purchase land assets,” said Taufik.

“In addition, LAZ and SUD [Sudirman] are also suspected of placing Rp2.25 billion at SSM Hospital (Sisa Sentra Medika) under the guise of share purchases or operational funds for the regent,” he continued.

Taufik stressed that investigators will continue to trace the flow and sources of funds, as well as the involvement of other parties in the chain of alleged corruption.