Indonesia's anti-graft body suspects widespread project rigging at transport ministry

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed suspicions of widespread project manipulation within the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub), suggesting that certain companies are being favored to win bids. This alleged rigging is not confined to the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) but appears to extend to other divisions within the ministry.

According to KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo, the practice involves pre-selecting vendors or private parties to ensure they win specific projects. "Not only in DJKA, but it is also suspected that there are several projects in Kemenhub that are being manipulated," Budi stated to reporters in Jakarta on Friday.

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Not only in DJKA, but it is also suspected that there are several projects in Kemenhub that are being manipulated.

Prasetyo indicated that this alleged manipulation is often followed by the payment of fees from the winning private entities to ministry officials who facilitated their victory. "This means it is interconnected. From the initial process of conditioning or arranging the project winners, then the project fees, so it can lead to alleged bribery and gratification," he explained.

The KPK is currently investigating a bribery case related to the construction and maintenance of railway lines within the DJKA of Kemenhub. This investigation stems from an operation conducted on April 11, 2023, at the Technical Center for Railways Class I for Central Java, now known as the Technical Center for Railways Class I Semarang. Initially, 10 suspects were named, but as of January 20, 2026, the KPK has identified 21 suspects, including a member of the House of Representatives' Commission V. Two corporations have also been named as suspects in the case, which involves projects across Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi.

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This means it is interconnected. From the initial process of conditioning or arranging the project winners, then the project fees, so it can lead to alleged bribery and gratification.