INDOPOSCO.ID – Criminal law expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar of Trisakti University says the actions of Indonesian Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni in accepting an envelope allegedly containing money from Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Regent Suhardiman Amby may satisfy the elements of a criminal offense, even though the money was later returned.
“It should have been rejected immediately. By accepting it first, the mens rea has already been established,” Abdul Fickar told INDOPOSCO by phone in Jakarta on Friday (July 3, 2026).
According to Fickar, the act may still carry legal consequences. He urged President Prabowo Subianto to remove Raja Juli from his ministerial post.
“The case should already be eligible for prosecution under the Anti-Corruption Law. This should also serve as a reminder for the President to replace ministers involved in conduct like this,” Fickar said.
Fickar argued that the incident had tarnished the image of the Red and White Cabinet. In his view, law enforcement agencies already have sufficient grounds to take action.
“Besides embarrassing the government, this clearly falls under anti-corruption law. The Attorney General’s Office or the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) can already act,” he added.
Raja Juli’s name has been linked to an alleged bribery and gratuity case involving permits for the release of Limited Production Forest (HPT) areas, a case that has implicated Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby.
Suhardiman was officially named a suspect and detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after being arrested in a sting operation in late June 2026. The case concerns alleged bribery related to the appointment of the regional secretary and the processing of permits for the release of Limited Production Forest areas.
Separately, Raja Juli confirmed that he met with Suhardiman at the Ministry of Forestry office in Jakarta on June 2, 2026. During the meeting, Suhardiman left behind an envelope that Raja Juli said was placed inside a document folder.
“During the meeting, it turned out that the Regent of Kuantan Singingi left an envelope inside a folder,” Raja Juli told reporters at the Ministry of Forestry office in Jakarta on Friday (July 3, 2026).
Raja Juli said he did not know what the envelope contained.
“I did not know what was inside. However, I felt I had no right to the envelope, so I instructed my aide to return it,” he said.
According to Raja Juli, the envelope was returned on June 12, 2026.(dan)
