Law

Over six years ago, towards the end of 2018, a Singapore-based consultancy firm, Mitora Pte Ltd, filed a lawsuit against Yayasan Harapan Kita and the children of the late President Soeharto. The heart of the dispute was related to the management of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII). The parties managed to resolve the case with agreement not long after and the lawsuit was dropped. However, in 2021, Mitora filed a similar lawsuit, this time the lawsuit focuses on the Yayasan Purna Bhakti Pertiwi and is still targeting Soeharto’s children. The lawsuit was again withdrawn. We have been wondering what happened to the dispute because we did not hear any developments between the parties until this year. Mitora filed their latest lawsuit last month and the dispute finally gained attention. 

In the midst of the investigation into the PT Timah corruption scandal that ensnared various high-profile figures, we know that one of the suspects, Alwin Albar, had previously been named a suspect in another alleged corruption case. The case also allegedly occurred during Alwin Albar’s tenure as director at PT Timah and thus we are convinced that the management of the company and the tin industry have very serious problems. Apart from that, our law enforcement system also needs to be questioned. Prosecutors demanded that Alwin Albar be sentenced to 14 years in prison, but he was only sentenced to three years in prison.

It has been five years since the COVID-19 outbreak shook the world, all sectors are still struggling to recover and all parties are still trying to resolve their respective financial problems, including through the debt restructuring process. Among all the companies that have gone through this process is PT Widodo Makmur Unggas Tbk (WMUU). In early November 2024, the company faced a lawsuit from one of its business partners, this was the sixth PKPU lawsuit the company had faced in the past two years, five of which were registered in 2024. Recently, the company was able to resolve one of the remaining problems.

The land acquisition process for the DP 0% housing program, which was the flagship program of then Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, was very flawed and carried out without proper supervision so that many parties could intervene and take advantage. The program ended with four criminal investigations and ensnare individual and corporate suspects, including Yoory Corneles Pinontoan, the former president director of the Regional Public Corporation Pembangunan Sarana Jaya (PD Sarana Jaya). Recently, the prosecutors read their demands for Yoory in the latest case.

After announcing the new suspect from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recently announced that they had named four new suspects in a case of corruption implicating the Directorate General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation. All suspects have been detained. The case interestingly keeps developing.

We all know that apart from the cases of alleged corruption concerning railway projects which were investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), there is also a different case investigated by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO). The implicated project is located along the northern part of Sumatera and, far from media coverage, the court proceedings have ended. All seven defendants have been found guilty this week.

Last week, PT Maja Agung Latexindo Tbk (SURI), a healthcare company focused on latex glove production, announced that the company is facing a Suspension of Debt Payment (PKPU) lawsuit at the Commercial Court at the Medan District Court. However, according to the company, whose market value already dropped 50% from IPO, the dispute behind this problem is not simple.

It has been a while since the last time we heard of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)’s move in Bengkulu, the last was in 2018. We thought there had been a change in the province, but we were wrong. Towards the end of last week, the KPK announced they had conducted a sting operation in the province and arrested several government officials including the Governor, Rohidin Mersyah, a Golkar politician who is currently participating in the upcoming regional head election to lead for a second term. Entering the new week, the KPK officially announced the case and named Rohidin as suspect in a case of alleged corruption.

PT Inet Global Indo (INET), an internet service provider, was sued by one of its creditors, PT Global Data Lintas Asia (PT GDLA), earlier this year and was asked to restructure its debt. Far from media coverage, a peace agreement was agreed upon in June 2024. However, among the creditors, PT Bank Victoria International Tbk (BVIC – Bank Victoria) chose to rebel and reject the PKPU process. 

Although public attention is no longer as intense as it was at the beginning, the investigation and inquisition into the case of alleged corruption related to the illegal tin mining in the IUP area owned by PT Timah Tbk (TINS) continues. Among the dozens of suspects, we know that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) also named Hendry Lie, founder of Sriwijaya Air, as a suspect. Hendry was questioned as a witness in February 2024, but since then he has not been in Indonesia. Hendry also never answered the summons from the AGO until he was named a suspect in April 2024. Interestingly, Hendry decided to return to Indonesia this week and the AGO was happy to pick him up at the airport. Separately, trial of the former government officials will end soon as the prosecutors read their demands during the latest hearing.