KPK Expands Investigation into Indonesian Embassy Staff Over Foreigner Residence Permit Scheme

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) examined a witness, namely Tri Hernanda Reza, a staff of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuching, Malaysia today. He was questioned regarding the alleged extortion of the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) which ensnared the former Deputy Minister of Imipas Silmy Karim. KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said Tri was questioned because he had been a staff at the Directorate General of Immigration when the alleged extortion occurred. Therefore, investigators need to ask for information from him as a witness. "Investigators are asking for information on the process and mechanisms internally related to the residence permit service for foreign nationals," Budi told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Tuesday, September 1. In addition, Budi explained that investigators also investigated the collection of money at the Directorate General of Imipas era Silmy Karim. Especially related to the management of non-citizen residence permits. "Because indeed the services at Imipas have stopped or have reached the kanim, there are also services that reach the center," he said. "So in the process of collecting this money, everything is also investigated that for services that do have the approval process to the center, then it is also suspected that there are flows of money that are transferred from the center to the Directorate General of Imipas in the center who do the approvals for services that do reach the center." The KPK previously named eight suspects from a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) related to the residence permits of foreign nationals (WNA) in the environment of the Ministry of Immigration and Correction on Wednesday, June 3. The details are as follows: 1. Wamen Imipas 2025-2026 who is also the Director General (Dirjen) of Imipas 2023-2024 Silmy Karim; 2. Acting Director General of Immigration 2024-2025 Saffar Muhammad Godam; 3. Head of the Regional Office (Kakanwil) of the Directorate General of Immigration West Java who previously served as Director of Residence Permits and Immigration Status of the Directorate General of Immigration Jaya Saputra; 4. Sub-Directorate of Change of Status of Residence at the Directorate of Residence Permits and Immigration Status of the Directorate General of Immigration, Tessar Bayu Setyaji; 5. Kasubdit at the Directorate of Residence Permits Bagus Bramantyo; 6. Head of the Central Jakarta Immigration Office 2024-2025 and Head of the Special Class I Immigration Office for Non-TPI West Jakarta 2025-2026 Ronald Arman Abdullah; 7. Head of the ITAS Status Change Team, Juniadi Sri Priambudi; and 8. Staff of the Sub-Directorate Izin Tinggal Gusti Benardiansyah. During the silent operation, the KPK team seized evidence worth Rp. 17.5 billion. The details are 7 units of cars, 15 units of motorcycles, 11 units of bicycles, balances in bank accounts and crypto asset accounts, as well as a number of foreign currencies. Then, the KPK also seized several units of bicycles; 4 large motor units, three of which are Harley-Davidson; 2 red and silver Porsche 911 cars; and 5 vespa matic motorcycles from Silmy Karim's house in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta on Friday, June 5. All of these items were taken to the State Seized Property Storage House (Rupbasan) Cawang, East Jakarta. Silmy is said to have received money from the extortion of the management of residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) since the Director General of Immigration for the period 2023-2024. He even continued to receive it even though he had been sworn in as Deputy Minister of Immigration and Corrections (Imipas). The receipt made by Silmy was worth Rp. 100 million per week. As a result of his actions, he and seven other suspects were suspected of violating Article 12 letter e and/or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 20 letter c of Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. Source: VOI English