The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects Hery Sudarmanto, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower under Hanif Dhakiri, received up to Rp12 billion in extortion money related to foreign worker permit processing (RPTKA) from 2010 to 2025, even after retirement. The case involves extorting foreign worker agents to expedite permits, with total collections reaching Rp53.7 billion in 2019-2024. KPK is continuing to trace the fund flows.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed allegations involving Hery Sudarmanto (HS), former Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower (Kemenaker) during Minister Hanif Dhakiri's tenure, in an extortion case related to foreign worker usage plans (RPTKA). According to KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo, HS is suspected of receiving money from foreign worker (TKA) agents since 2010 while serving as Director of Foreign Worker Usage Control (PPTKA) until 2015, then as Director General of Workforce Placement Development and Job Opportunities Expansion (Dirjen Binapenta and PKK) from 2015-2017, Kemenaker Secretary General from 2017-2018, and Principal Functional from 2018-2023. "Even after retirement, until 2025, HS is suspected of still receiving fund flows from TKA agents," Budi Prasetyo told journalists in Jakarta on January 15, 2026. The total amount received by HS is estimated at Rp12 billion.
The case originated from the era of Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar in 2009-2014, continuing under Hanif Dhakiri (2014-2019), and Ida Fauziyah (2019-2024). On June 5, 2025, KPK named eight civil servants at Kemenaker as suspects: Suhartono, Haryanto, Wisnu Pramono, Devi Anggraeni, Gatot Widiartono, Putri Citra Wahyoe, Jamal Shodiqin, and Alfa Eshad, who collected Rp53.7 billion from RPTKA extortion during 2019-2024. HS was named a new suspect on October 29, 2025. Suspect detentions occurred in stages on July 17 and 24, 2025.
RPTKA is a mandatory requirement for foreign workers to work in Indonesia. Without RPTKA, the issuance of work and residence permits is delayed, resulting in a Rp1 million daily fine for foreign workers. This forces applicants to pay unofficial levies to the suspects. KPK states that this extortion pattern has been ongoing for a long time and will continue to trace the money flows.
