Over six years ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) uncovered a case of bribery given for the former Regent of Bogor Rachmat Yasin. Rahmat and several other people were found guilty. Rahmat finished his jail term last year. Less than two months after that, the KPK announced that it had begun a new investigation as a result of the development of its previous investigation and had named Rachmat a suspect in two different cases. Last week, the KPK finally moved to detain Rachmat, and this usually means that the suspect would be prosecuted soon. What happened to Rachmat is not unusual. It reminds us of several other high profile cases on which the suspects faced a similar situation with Rachmat. 

In April 2019, after three years of investigation into bribery related to the conversion of forest land in Riau, the verdicts became legally binding. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced new suspects, including a corporate suspect PT Palma Satu and its owner Surya Darmadi (Duta Palma Group). In the last week of June 2020, a suspect’s trial began in the Corruption Court of the Pekanbaru District Court. The latest hearing presented Zulkifli Hasan as a witness. 

The trial on the corruption in State-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero) continues. Each week, we learn new things thanks to the account of witnesses. Last week we learned that Heru Hidayat, much like Benny Tjokrosaputro, used nominees in committing his crimes. This week, one of the nominees pleaded to the Court that her account be returned, stating that she never received feedback from Heru. The Court also confirmed that Joko Hartono had used the same scheme. We also learned that the board of directors was allowed to make changes to investment guidelines to save the Company. 

In mid-June 2020, Freddy Widjaja—son of the late tsar of Sinar Mas Group Eka Tjipta Widjaja—filed a civil lawsuit at the Central Jakarta District Court, demanding his share of the inheritance. The news was widely reported because Freddy had mentioned several subsidiaries of the group in his lawsuit. Soon after the lawsuit was made public, the mentioned companies’ stock prices weakened, with some having to provide information to the IDX. The parties went through a mediation process, but no conclusion could be reached. Freddy withdrew his lawsuit, stating that the petition was flawed. He filed a new lawsuit on August 11, 2020. This time, he listed more defendants and also explained his stance. 

In mid-2019, the police force in several regions started investigating the parties responsible for spreading forest fires. Riau was the first region to announce that it had named a corporate suspect. On August 10, 2020, investigators announced that they had completed the dockets of two corporate suspects and will soon expedite them to the stage of prosecution.

In the last week of July 2020, KT Corporation, South Korea's oldest and largest telecommunications company, filed a lawsuit to the Central Jakarta District Court seeking bankruptcy of PT Global Mediacom Tbk (BMTR). We all know that the parties, including PT Bhakti...

Last week, the Directorate General of Taxation announced victory in a tax dispute case against a so-called fraudulent taxpayer. Several national media outlets quoted this statement and only mentioned the initials of the taxpayer and the Company. This victory is good news for the current taxation climate, but there is a story behind this dispute that is not widely reported. The taxpayer in question is Roni Wijaya, the operational director of PT Dutasari Citralaras, one of the influential parties in uncovering the Hambalang corruption case.

In 2017 we reported on an investigation by the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force (CAD) into a potential contravention of the provisions of the Securities and Futures Act by one Kris Taenar Wiluan—the Executive Chairman and CEO of KS Energy Limited (SGX:578) (KSE)—and his son Richard James Wiluan—the Executive Director of the Company. Last week, KSE announced progress, and soon afterward, news media outlets reported on the case. Kris is now facing allegations together with one other person, while Richard was not charged. 

The investigation and inquisition into corruption in the state-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero) continues. The first batch of suspects is now standing trial. The trial has revealed details of the scheme. In the meantime, one of the defendants, Benny Tjokrosaputro, is facing multiple lawsuits on Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU) against him personally and his Companies, including PT Hanson International Tbk (MYRX). Benny escaped the PKPU lawsuit filed against him, but a new lawsuit was filed in July 2020 against PT Armidian Karyatama Tbk (ARMY). The lawsuit was granted in July 2020. ARMY is in the temporary PKPU period. The first meeting of creditors was held on August 6, 2020. To date, ARMY recorded Rp40 billion in debts.

When we talked about the trial on the case of corruption in State-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero), we mostly discussed Benny Tjokrosaputro’s antics. There is almost no news on the involvement of other parties and defendants in the case. In the hearing held on August 5, 2020, we finally learned more about the involvement of Heru Hidayat, the president commissioner of PT Trada Alam Minera Tbk (TRAM).