The arrest of Langkat Regent Syah Afandin marks an unsettling milestone. He is the tenth regional leader implicated in corruption cases in just the first half of 2026. Instead of being an exception, corruption among elected local officials is beginning to look like a recurring feature of Indonesia’s decentralization, raising an uncomfortable question: how many arrests will it take before the system, rather than merely the individuals, is reformed? To subscribe please click here
