Kediri, May 27, 2025 – The streets of Kediri boiled with outrage today as dozens of citizens under the banner of United Indonesian People’s Alliance staged a peaceful but powerful protest at the Kediri District Attorney’s Office. Their demand: a full-scale investigation into what they describe as a “syndicated fraud” in the disbursement of government-backed microloans (KUR) by Bank BRI.
Protesters accuse BRI Kediri of manipulating borrower data, allowing unqualified individuals—including people with mental illnesses—to receive loans of up to 50 million rupiah. At the same time, legitimate micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) were denied access. Many of the victims claim they were lured in with promises of government grants, only to find their identities used for fraudulent loan applications.
“This is not a clerical error. This is a state-level financial crime,” said Revi, one of the lead organizers. “We’re talking about a scheme where mentally ill individuals are listed as borrowers while real entrepreneurs are blocked from accessing their rights.”
The protesters carried signs with bold, uncompromising demands:
“Arrest the KUR Syndicate”,
“KUR BRI is a Tool to Rob the State”,
“KUR is Only for Insiders”, and
“Because of Nepotism, Even the Mentally Ill Get Loans.”
Inside the District Attorney’s office, representatives of the alliance were received by Nur Ngali, who confirmed that the BRI Unit Pesantren case was already under investigation, and additional branches are now under review. The protesters insisted that not just field officers (mantri) but all staff and higher-ups involved in the scheme must be held accountable.
After the first round of mediation, the crowd moved to the BRI branch office in central Kediri. Emotions escalated as speakers highlighted how many MSME owners are being pushed into predatory loans and loan sharks due to being locked out of the KUR system. “This program was created to empower the people. Instead, it’s being hijacked by insiders to enrich themselves,” said another protester.
Eventually, a tense mediation took place involving BRI regional officials, representatives from the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and local police, led by AKP Iwan S. Among those present were Fita from the OJK, Prasetyo from BRI operations, and Irwan from BRI’s regional office. However, the talks ended without resolution. No clear plan of action or admission of fault was offered by BRI representatives.
The United Indonesian People’s Alliance declared the fight is far from over. Their demands include the immediate dismissal and arrest of all BRI staff involved, seizure of their assets, and restitution of stolen funds. “This is just the beginning,” Revi warned. “If there’s no justice, we will return with greater numbers.”
Today’s protest sends a clear message to financial institutions and government agencies: the people are watching, and impunity will not be tolerated. If public trust is abused for personal gain, the social contract that holds institutions together begins to collapse.
