KPK probes alleged corruption in banking notification services

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) launched an investigation into alleged corruption involving notification services provided through SMS and WhatsApp at a state-owned bank and a telecommunications firm.

“The case concerns notifications delivered via SMS and WhatsApp,” KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said on Friday.

He was responding to questions regarding the issuance of general investigation warrants, which have been opened without naming suspects, involving projects at the companies.

Prasetyo had previously disclosed only that the anti-graft agency was investigating procurement related to notification services at the two state-owned companies.

According to the KPK, the procurement is suspected of causing state losses of nearly two trillion rupiah (US$107 million).

Prasetyo said the investigation concerns a separate matter and is unrelated to earlier cases handled by the agency.

The KPK is also investigating alleged corruption in the procurement of electronic data capture (EDC) machines at the bank, a case first announced on June 26, 2025.

On June 30, 2025, the agency said the EDC procurement project was valued at 2.1 trillion rupiah (US$113 million) and imposed six-month overseas travel bans on 13 individuals.

Those barred from leaving the country were identified by their initials as CBH, IU, DS, MI, AJ, IS, AWS, IP, KS, EL, NI, RSK and SRD.

The KPK estimates state losses in the EDC case at about 700 billion rupiah (US$37 million), equivalent to roughly 30 percent of the project’s total value.

On July 9, 2025, the KPK named five individuals as suspects in the case.