Lokataru Foundation Executive Director one Haris Azhar, together with a researcher from Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) Kurnia Ramadhana, visited the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) on January 27, 2020. Both requested transparency in the status of assets owned by Lee Darmawan Kertarahardja a.k.a Lee Tjin Kiat. Lee was one of the graft convicts of a corruption case uncovered in the early 90s. For one reason or another, the assets confiscated were only handed over by Bank Indonesia to the AGO’s Center for Asset Recovery (PPA) in 2016. Now, Haris and ICW approached the AGO on the suspicion that there is asset embezzlement. Hearing the name Lee Darmawan, of course, we immediately remember the case involving former senior Prosecutor Chuck Suryosumpeno. Chuck was demoted from his position in 2015 with similar allegations, embezzling assets while serving as head of the PPA. The case was too odd that we don’t know who to trust anymore. But Chuck received support from many parties, including from Haris. Chuck was finally found guilty of corruption last year.

The case of corruption involving State-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero) has taken a toll on a lot of parties. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is investigating the case, but the House of Representatives competes in establishing committees to investigate the case. Meanwhile, the State is now trying to find a quick solution to fulfill the Company’s obligation to its customers. Several options had been mentioned, including debt restructuring. However, can it be done?

The trial of Emirsyah Satar, the former president director of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (GIAA), who allegedly involved in a corruption scheme together with Soetikno Soedarjo continues on January 23, 2020. In the latest hearing, the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court listened to the accounts of four witnesses. 

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) welcomed us in 2020 by naming five suspects in the case of corruption involving State-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero). Of the five suspects named, the public is focused on Benny Tjokrosaputro. This week, the AGO begins with meeting the House of Representatives and explaining their stance. For the past several days, the AGO had been informing the progress of investigation and inquisition. Among the development is their move to seized and secured assets belonging to the suspects, including thousands of land certificates and dozens of bank accounts. The House of Representatives also had suggested the AGO file bankruptcy lawsuit on over 50 investment management companies allegedly responsible in the case.

The dispute over the loan agreement provided by a syndicate of banks led by PT Bank PDFCI to PT Geria Wijaya Prestige (controlled by the Karjadi family) continues. The agreement has turned into a complicated maze of legal battle, which has produced dozens of conflicting court verdicts. Two of the Karjadi brothers were named suspects in a criminal case for allegedly committing fraud as a result of police report submitted by Artha Graha patron Tomy Winata. They were found guilty on January 22, 2020. That said, we will not see closure shortly because last month, the Jakarta High Court decided to decline Tomy Winata’s appeal petition. With the appeal decision, the decision of the Central Jakarta District Court (which declined Tomy’s lawsuit) remains valid.

The House of Representatives began working after determining the Bills to be included in the list of 2020 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas Prioritas). On January 22, 2020, the House Commission I invited four academics to discuss the amendment of the Broadcasting Law. The main issues discussed include the basis for discussion and formation of the law and broadcast digitalization.

In the second week of December 2019, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced that they had named Nurhadi Abdurrachman, the former secretary of the Supreme Court, as a suspect in the case of alleged corruption. After waiting for so long, the KPK finally named Nurhadi a suspect. Several days after being named a suspect, Nurhadi and two other suspects in the same case filed a pre-trial lawsuit, questioning the KPK’s decision. On January 21, 2020, the sole presiding judge at the South Jakarta District Court ruled in favor of the KPK. 

Last week the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) named five suspects as the result of their investigation into the State-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya (Persero). Of the five suspects named, the public is focused on only one: Benny Tjokrosaputro. The AGO recently reported that the suspects had used other people’s identities in committing their crimes.

Two weeks ago, a Twitter account called Reformasi Dikorupsi listed several reasons why people should be aware of the Omnibus Law on Employment Creation—which they dubbed as UU Cilaka (adj. Cursed or Unlucky). Reformasi Dikorupsi is a forum formed by several elements of society in mid-2019. It developed along with the ratification of the amendment of the Law on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the news that the amendment to the Law on the Criminal Code would be passed. Since then, the organization often voiced opposition to various Government plans.