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. 

Towards the end of last week, the Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso said that the academic paper and the draft of the Omnibus Law for Employment Creation would be submitted to the House of Representatives by January 21, 2020. That said, the public does not have access to the said draft. Meanwhile, CNBC Indonesia reported on things mentioned in the draft specifically related to energy and mineral resources.

Two years have passed since the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced their investigation and inquisition into the Bengkalis graft case. The last time the KPK announced progress was May 2019. At the time, the KPK named two new suspects, one of them is the Regent of Bengkalis one Amril Mukminin (Golkar). Towards the end of last week, the KPK (now under new leadership) announced a development. It had named ten new suspects.

It has been nearly three years after the investigation on the corruption within PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk began, and the wait is over. Three weeks ago, the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court began the trial of Soetikno Soedarjo, and the trial of Emirsyah Satar followed four days later. On January 16, 2020, the trial continues. 

The Supreme Court surprised the nation in July last year. The graft convict and former Chairman of Indonesia’s Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN) Syafruddin Arsyad “Syaf” Temenggung was found guilty of corruption related to the disbursement of Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) to Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia (BDNI). Nevertheless, the Supreme Court decided to release Syaf from all charges. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) thus filed a Reconsideration (PK) petition against all debates on its legal basis. The PK hearing continues on January 16, 2020.