Earlier last week, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced that they had arrested three individuals related to the corruption in the Jakarta High Prosecutors’ Office (Kejati Jakarta). Among the parties arrested are two active prosecutors.

On December 5, 2019, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) continued examining two cases: 1) concerning cartel practices and the soaring ticket rates and cargo transportation in the national aviation industry; and 2) alleged discrimination and unhealthy business practices involving Grab Indonesia (PT Solusi Transportasi Indonesia). The trials were held to listen to the accounts of witnesses. The hearing on Grab Indonesia was conducted as scheduled. As for the cartel case, the investigators decided to withdraw their proposal to examine the witness.  

By the end of October 2019, the trial of money laundering suspect Tubagus Chaeri Wardana (Wawan) finally started. Wawan is already a graft convict. While serving his term, he was named a suspect for committing another crime. Now he is standing trial in a separate case from the one of which he was convicted.

Back in March 2019, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) uncovered a bribery case involving Bowo Sidik Pangarso (who at the time was a member of the Commission VI of the House of Representatives representing Golkar) from a Sting Operation. Soon, their investigation into the case uncovered more allegations of crimes. Bowo allegedly received over Rp10 billion in grafts from several parties. On December 4, 2019, Bowo was declared guilty, although the trial failed to summon some of the names Bowo mentioned.

In July 2019, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a sting operation in the Riau Islands. The day after, the KPK announced the chronology of a case of bribery and named the suspects, one of which is the Riau Islands Governor one Nurdin Basirun. The KPK also named Nurdin a suspect of graft. Nurdin’s trial began on December 4, 2019.

The end of the year is around the corner, but the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has no plan to rest. After finishing their examinations, investigations, and trials on dozens of companies that did not report their corporate actions on time as mandated by the law, the KPPU recently announced that they are examining four similar allegations. The KPPU also recently issued a regulation that specifically regulates the assessment of corporate actions that can trigger monopolistic practices or unfair business competition.

More than three years have passed since the dispute over the leadership of the Indonesian National Arbitration Board (BANI) began. BANI is split into BANI Mampang (referred to the nickname given by the media for the “original” BANI) and BANI Sovereign (which established as Perkumpulan BANI). Recently, we learned that the Supreme Court decided to uphold the verdict provided by the South Jakarta District Court. BANI Mampang is deemed to have no rights over the organization.

The Ministry of Finance met with the House Commission XI of the House of Representatives on December 2, 2019, to explain the plan to provide State Capital Injection (PMN) for State-owned Enterprises (BUMN). In the meeting, an interesting conversation happened. A member of the Commission Misbakhun (Golkar) asked the Minister about PT PANN, stating that he had never heard of the Company. Minister Sri Mulyani interestingly also said that she’s not familiar with the Company. PT PANN was established in the 70s. Though it’s been caught in a case of corruption, the Government plans to inject it with over Rp3 trillion. 

It has been almost three years since the former President Director of Dana Pensiun Pertamina M. Helmi Kamal Lubis was named a graft suspect following the problematic purchase of shares of PT Sugih Energy Tbk (SUGI). Since then, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) named two other suspects, namely Edward Soeryadjaja and one Betty Halim. Helmi was found guilty on January 29, 2018, and a year later, Edward was convicted. Two months ago, Edward’s attempt to appeal was declined by the Supreme Court, so we thought the case would be over. However, on December 2, 2019, Helmi decided to file a tort lawsuit against Dana Pensiun Pertamina. Helmi still believes that he is not guilty. 

Two months ago, we reported on the progress of the deliberation on the Land Bill. The Bill was included in the National Legislative Program (Prolegnas) in 2015. A draft exists, and the Government had submitted a problem inventory (DIM) on said draft to the House of Representatives at the end of 2017. Government ministries responsible for agrarian issues are supposedly unable to agree on some matters, hence the delay. In 2018, the ministries involved supposedly found common ground, but nothing has happened since. Several months ago, in the midst of social unrest caused by the plan to promulgate the controversial Bill on Criminal Code, the Government and the House of Representatives were supposed to promulgate the Land Bill, but the plan must be postponed once again. Since the KPK has announced their inquisition into a case of corruption involving two officials of the National Land Agency (BPN), talks about the Land Bill has surfaced.