BLBI Task Force, established by President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo to recover State funds used to assist troubled banks (BLBI) during the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998, has summoned ten persons related to PT Indauda’s Rp328 billion obligations to the State. 

The Supreme Court has on June 9, 2022 ruled against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in the bribery case of Samin Tan, owner of PT Borneo Lumbung Energi & Metal Tbk (formerly BORN). BORN is parent company of PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT), one of only few high-calorie (semi-coking) coal miners in Indonesia. 

Six years ago, when the DKI Jakarta province was still led by Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, a scandalous case was made public. In 2015, to construct public housing flats, the Jakarta Housing Department had spent Rp648 billion to buy a parcel of land from a supposed civilian owner. It later turned out that the land belonged to the Department of Marine, Agriculture and Food Security (DKPKP) of the Jakarta Administration. The regional government apparently bought their own land. Earlier this year, the National Police’s Criminal Investigative Unit (Bareskrim POLRI) announced two suspects in this case. Recently, POLRI said they expand the investigation to allegation of money laundering and had confiscated numbers of assets worth Rp700 billion.

In August 2021, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced the Banjarnegara Regent as a suspect of corruption. The revelation made headlines because the Regent, Budhi Sarwono, strongly denied all allegations. The trial started in January 2022 and KPK prosecutors indicted Budhi with two charges, i.e., receiving bribes and grafts. In one of the hearings, a witness confirmed the KPK’s allegations that the disgraced Regent received a sum of money in exchange for granting construction projects. During the last hearing held on June 9, 2022, Budhi was declared guilty of the first charge, but not guilty of the second charge.

Earlier this year, the Satgas BLBI (Satuan Tugas Penanganan Hak Tagih Negara Dana Bantuan Likuiditas Bank Indonesia), a task force under Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati’s supervision to recover funds related to the 1997-1998 financial crisis, confiscated some of the assets on behalf of Irjanto Ongko, son of Kaharudin Ongko of Ongko Multicorpora. At the time, we also learned that the Police had named suspects in the case of alleged embezzlement of assets related to BLBI. The suspects, supposedly, are individuals in the Ministry of Finance had colluded with land mafias. We have been waiting for a detailed explanation on the allegation, but no further information was made public. Instead, we learned that Irjanto filed a lawsuit two days ago, challenging the Satgas’ decision on the confiscation of his assets. Irjanto is not the first to sue the process of confiscation related to the scandal.

It has been over a year since the provision of a mining operation license on Sangihe Island in North Sulawesi has become a controversy. At first, we noted some misinformation circulating, which aggrieved the public. As expected, several representatives of the affected residents filed a lawsuit to the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta) against the decision given to the mining company soon after. After nearly a year of proceedings, the lawsuit was rejected in April 2022. However, a different group filed a different lawsuit to the PTUN Manado, North Sulawesi. Last week, the lawsuit was granted, but question remains.

For many years we have seen how many parties try to fly PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines, the State-Owned (BUMN) airlines, once again. Hope after hope emerged, but these efforts must eventually stop. This week, Merpati was officially declared bankrupt, after the court decided to cancel the peace agreement the company had agreed with its creditors four years ago. But can this decision solve all problems?

Over the past year, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has investigated allegation of corruption in Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan that occurred circa 2011. In this crime scheme there are allegations of involvement of regional official and a deceased conglomerate. However, the investigation process cannot satisfy all parties. In recent months, calls for development of investigation on the then Regent of Tanah Bumbu, Mardani Maming, have begun to increase. Recently, although the aforementioned case was investigated by the AGO, Mardani was instead summoned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Does it have anything to do with the case being investigated by the AGO?

Shipping company Meratus Line, one of the largest in the country, published a quarter page announcement at Kompas, the largest newspaper in Indonesia, on Tuesday (June 7) related to its status in the temporary debt payment suspension (PKPU Sementara/PKPUS). Commercial court of Surabaya District Court in East Java has on May 31, 2022 declared Meratus Line in PKPUS. What happened?

The corruption scandal related to PT Asuransi Sosial Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia (PT ASABRI) is ongoing as the trial of Teddy Tjokrosaputro continues. Teddy, brother of convict Benny Tjokrosaputro, denied all allegations thrown at him. Separately, the Jakarta High Court provided disappointing decisions and reduce the sentences of four former executives previously given by the Corruption Court. A different decision, however, was given for convict Jimmy Sutopo and Lukman Purnomosidi. The Panel of Appeal decided to aggravate their punishment.