A STRING OF CONTROVERSIES
Sudewo was inaugurated as Pati regent in February 2025 after winning the 2024 regional election under Prabowo’s nomination. His latest legal trouble is not the first time Sudewo has come under the anti-graft agency’s scrutiny.
He was previously questioned as a witness in an alleged bribery case involving railway construction at the Directorate General of Railways under the Ministry of Transportation.
Sudewo also drew widespread public attention last August after thousands of residents staged protests at Pati’s town square. The protests were triggered by his administration’s decision to raise rural and urban land and building taxes by as much as 250 per cent.
In a video that sparked public outrage, Sudewo said he was undeterred by the demonstrations and even challenged residents to mobilise larger crowds.
“I will not change the decision. I will move forward,” he said in response to opposition to the policy then.
According to the Jakarta Post, the protests forced members of Pati Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) to agree to exercise its right of inquiry to investigate Sudewo’s policies.
The councillors formed a task force to investigate potential misconduct as a basis for impeachment. But the attempt to remove Sudewo failed after receiving support from only one of the council’s seven factions – the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Before becoming Pati regent, Sudewo served two terms as a member of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, from 2009 to 2013 and from 2019 to 2024. During his time in parliament, he sat on Commission X before moving to Commission V, which oversees infrastructure and transportation.
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