Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it will further investigate parties involved in an alleged extortion scheme for foreign worker permits at the Manpower Ministry, including possibly summoning a former minister. This follows the naming of Hery Sudarmanto, former secretary general under Hanif Dhakiri, as a new suspect on October 29, 2025. The case involves collecting Rp53.7 billion from 2019 to 2024.
The alleged extortion case in processing foreign worker employment plans (RPTKA) at Indonesia's Manpower Ministry has ensnared nine suspects by late October 2025. On June 5, 2025, the KPK announced eight initial suspects: civil servants Suhartono, Haryanto, Wisnu Pramono, Devi Anggraeni, Gatot Widiartono, Putri Citra Wahyoe, Jamal Shodiqin, and Alfa Eshad. They are accused of collecting Rp53.7 billion during Minister Ida Fauziyah's tenure from 2019 to 2024.
RPTKA is a mandatory requirement for foreign workers to operate in Indonesia. Without it, work and residence permits are delayed, incurring a Rp1 million daily fine for the foreign workers. This pressures applicants to pay the suspects.
The KPK states the scheme likely began under Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar as Minister of Manpower and Transmigration (2009-2014), continuing under Hanif Dhakiri (2014-2019) and Ida Fauziyah (2019-2024). The initial eight suspects were detained on July 17, 2025 (first batch of four) and July 24, 2025 (second batch).
On October 29, 2025, the KPK named Hery Sudarmanto (HS), former secretary general under Hanif Dhakiri, as the new suspect. "It's true, in the development of this investigation, the KPK has designated one new suspect, namely Mr. HS as the former secretary general of the Manpower Ministry," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo.
The next day, October 30, 2025, Prasetyo addressed the potential summoning of a former minister. "So, from the evidence, facts, and leads found by investigators, we will continue to trace all parties who have roles or received flows from this alleged corruption, to clarify the unlawful acts," he said at the KPK's Red and White Building in Jakarta. Suspect designations are based on sufficient evidence.