The granting of a mining operation permit on Sangihe Island in North Sulawesi has become a controversy. We noted some misinformation circulating in public. Last week, several representatives of the affected residents filed a lawsuit against the decision given to the mining company, but the lawsuit raises new questions.

Law enforcement on tax violations continues to remain far from media coverage. On June 24, 2021, the Directorate of Law Enforcement at the Directorate General of Taxation reportedly handed over a suspect in the case of fabrication of fictitious tax invoices to the prosecutors’ office as a condition for the commencement of prosecution stage. The suspect is said to have filed a pre-trial but the lawsuit was rejected. Interestingly, the suspect turned out to be related to a case of a larger scale.

Recently, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) gave an Unqualified Opinion (WTP) on the Government Financial Report (LKPP) for the 2020 fiscal year. The result should be appreciated, but there are some notes, especially regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trial of Hadinoto Soedigno, Garuda Indonesia’s former executive vice director for Engineering and Maintenance Services, is over. Hadinoto stood trial for alleged involvement in the scheme of corruption conducted under the leadership of Emirsyah Satar. At the last hearing held on June 23, 2021, Hadinoto was found guilty of all charges. 

Another State-owned Enterprise subsidiary has to face the law after experiencing financial difficulties.  On June 21, 2021, PT Waskita Beton Precast Tbk (WSBP) faced two different lawsuits of Suspension of Debt Payment (PKPU) at the Commercial Court at the Central Jakarta District Court. So far, Waskita Beton has faced four PKPU lawsuits. 

The repatriation of fugitive Adelin Lis to Indonesia raises many questions, especially regarding the ownership of a passport in the name of Hendro Leonardi. Many thought the case was a simple passport forgery case, but the situation changed when the Directorate General of Immigration admitted that the passport used by Adelin Lis was indeed issued by the immigration office. This is not the first time a case like this has been exposed. Recall the case of Joko Tjandra’s escape to Papua New Guinea using an alias on the passport issued by the immigration office.

The disgraced Regent of Talaud Islands in North Sulawesi Sri Wahyumi Maria Manalip was found guilty of corruption two years ago. Maria, however, was lucky because her sentence was reduced by the Supreme Court. So she could be released sooner than expected. That said, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) refused to let her go. As soon as Maria walked out of the prison, the KPK arrested her again on allegation of involvement in a new case. Maria decided to file for a pre-trial to challenge the KPK decision but the attempt failed. Separately, in another case of pre-trial filed against the KPK, the KPK questioned the legal standing of the plaintiff, the infamous organization MAKI.

Samin Tan, owner of PT Borneo Lumbung Energi & Metal Tbk (formerly BORN), was named a suspect of bribery by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over two years ago. Samin was investigated after the KPK looked into the allegations of corruption related to the construction of the Riau Power Plant; a case that ensnared conglomerate Johannes Kotjo and former Minister of Social Affairs Idrus Marham (Golkar). After a long process, the trial finally started this week. The indictment once again sheds light on details we have been questioning for a long time.

The repatriation of fugitive Adelin Lis to Indonesia deserves appreciation. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has again succeeded in demonstrating good performance. Not many know who Adelin Lis is, but his arrest shows another side to the legal world that is rarely known to the public.