Indonesia's KPK expands investigations into customs bribery and railway project fee scandals

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced it may examine officials at the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) and the Ministry of Trade after trial testimony revealed alleged payments from PT Blueray Cargo. The company is accused of delivering up to Rp21 billion to customs director Djaka Budi Utama and directing further transfers to deputies and directors at BPOM and four officials at the trade ministry. KPK said it will verify these claims through further witness examinations and evidence collection.

In a separate probe, KPK is questioning Ferdian Suryo Adhi Pramono, head of the Jakarta Railway Technical Office, regarding alleged project fees funnelled from private firms to the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) and the Ministry of Transportation. The investigation stems from an April 2023 raid that initially resulted in ten suspects and has since expanded to 21 individuals and two corporations linked to rail projects across Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. KPK alleges that vendors were conditioned to win contracts through manipulated procurement processes and illicit fee payments.

Both investigations form part of KPK’s broader effort to uncover corruption in key government agencies involved in customs, trade, health regulation and railway infrastructure development.