September 10, 2025 | 01:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detailed the early involvement of former West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil in the alleged corruption of advertising funds at the Regional Development Bank of West Java and Banten (Bank BJB).
Investigators suspect that Ridwan Kamil may have received part of the illicit funds provided by the bank’s former CEO and commissioner.
“At that time, the person was serving as Governor of West Java,” said Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution at the KPK, during a press conference at the commission’s Red and White Building in South Jakarta on Tuesday, August 9, 2025.
According to Asep, Bank BJB’s top executives disbursed funds for non-budgetary activities, some of which were requested by officials within the West Java provincial administration.
The funds allegedly reached Ridwan Kamil and were partly used to buy a Mercedes-Benz belonging to Ilham Akbar Habibie, son of former President BJ Habibie. Investigators also traced money flows to Lisa Mariana.
“There were several items, and the money was converted into goods,” Asep explained.
KPK to Summon Ridwan Kamil
The KPK confirmed it will summon Ridwan Kamil for questioning over the case, including clarifications on the car purchase and the flow of funds to Bank BJB’s Corporate Secretary.
“In managing these non-budgetary funds, investigators suspect money flowed to multiple parties. All of it is still under investigation,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
So far, the KPK has named five suspects in the case, which is believed to have caused Rp222 billion in losses to the state-owned regional bank.
The suspects include former Bank BJB CEO Yuddy Renaldi and the bank’s Corporate Secretary Division head Widi Hartoto, as well as three advertising agency controllers: Ikin Asikin Dulmanan of Arteja Muliatama and Cakrawala Kreasi, Suhendrik of Wahana Semesta Bandung Ekspress and BSC Advertising, and Sophan Jaya Kusuma of Cipta Karya Mandiri Bersama and Cipta Karya Sukses Bersama.
How the Corruption Scheme Worked
According to Budi Sukmo Wibowo, KPK’s Acting Director of Investigation, Yuddy and Widi allegedly arranged the use of advertising agencies without proper tendering, violating Bank BJB’s internal procurement rules.
The agencies were selected to channel non-budgetary funds and later arranged to win advertising placements.
Shortly before the KPK announced its probe on March 5, 2025, Yuddy resigned as Bank BJB CEO.
“These agencies collaborated with Bank BJB’s leadership, namely the CEO and the corporate secretary head, to inflict financial losses on the state,” said Budi Sukmo on March 13, 2025.
The KPK estimates that out of Bank BJB’s Rp409 billion advertising budget between 2021 and 2023, only around Rp100 billion was used appropriately. Roughly Rp222 billion is believed to be fictitious or misappropriated.
The suspects are charged under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 of Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption Eradication, as amended by Law No. 20/2001, in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code. While not yet detained, they have been banned from traveling abroad for six months.
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