PT Berkat Elektrik Sejati Tangguh (PT BEST), a company specializing in the sales, distribution and after-sales of household appliances, recently reported Ningbo AUX Imp&Exp Co Ltd (AUX), one of China’s top 500 enterprises, to the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU). Apparently, AUX has terminated its contract with PT BEST, who was previously the sole distributor of air conditioner products under the AUX brand in Indonesia. PT BEST suspects that there was a violation of the law in the contract termination process.

The problems for PT Waskita Beton Precast Tbk (WSBP) may get worse. Towards the end of 2023, the subsidiary of PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk (WSKT) is being sued by one of its creditors, PT Bank DKI. At the heart of the dispute is the decision to settle debts through Mandatory Convertible Bonds (OWK) which was not approved by Bank DKI. In early 2024, Bank DKI withdrew this lawsuit, only to file a new lawsuit in a different district court. The parties tried to mediate but to no avail. The trial continued far from the media coverage.

Recently, the Central Jakarta District Court registered a lawsuit filed against Bank Danamon and the Minister of Finance et al. This lawsuit seems ordinary, but the plaintiff’s name is too familiar to us. The court has not explained the contents of the lawsuit and petition, but the plaintiff has been in a long-standing dispute with the State-owned construction company, PT Pembangunan Perumahan (Persero) Tbk (PTPP) regarding ownership of 3.4 hectares of land located in Bekasi.

The investigation into the case of alleged corruption related to the tin trading system carried out in the Mining Business License (IUP) area owned by PT Timah Tbk (TINS) is still ongoing, but as of today, the trial of the most anticipated suspect has started. Harvey Moeis, the young businessman and once praised as the prime example of a distinguished gentleman, husband to celebrity Sandra Dewi, listened to the prosecutors indictment on Aug. 14, 2024. However, questions remain.

Eddy Sindoro, once a trusted person in Lippo Group, was found guilty for his involvement in the case of bribery implicating the conglomerate several years back. A few years after that, the then Secretary of the Supreme Court, Nurhadi, who supposedly had a side job in brokering cases, was found guilty for his involvement in a different case of corruption. Nurhadi was then named as a suspect in a case of money laundering, but we have not heard of any progress since 2021, until this week. Apparently, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continued the investigation and summoned Eddy as witness. The question now is, how far up will the KPK go this time?

We all know the commotion caused by the Constitutional Court last year. The Court, which was still led by Anwar Usman, who is married to the President’s sister, changed the norms of the general election regulation which eventually paved the way for the nomination of Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the President’s eldest son, as vice president. With pressure from many parties, the legal process was brought to the Ethic Council of the Constitutional Court (MKMK), who finally declared Anwar to have committed a serious ethical violation and thus must be removed from his position as chief of the Constitutional Court. Anwar, however, refused to accept the decision and decided to file a lawsuit with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) amidst the scorn of many parties. Unfortunately, this week, the PTUN decided to partially grant Anwar’s lawsuit. What a mess.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stepped down from his political throne as chairman of Golkar Party this week. Airlangga’s decision was obviously followed by various speculations. Allegations were put forward by many parties regarding Airlangga’s extreme decision, ranging from personal and woman problems to his alleged involvement in the cooking oil hullabaloo. However, the latter allegation was immediately denied by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and this reminds us that the trials related to the case are still ongoing.

Until 2022, we all know that the State-owned plantation company, PT Perkebunan Nusantara (Persero) (PTPN) has had to face the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) twice in two different units, PTPN III and PTPN XI. Several months ago, the third case was officially announced by the KPK, this time related to PTPN XI. With the enormous responsibility of PTPN as a whole, it is astonishing to see various corruption cases that have emerged related to only two PTPN units. We thought this was enough, but it turned out that was not the case. Recently, the National Police (POLRI) entered the scene and announced that they had conducted an investigation into other alleged corruption, also related to PTPN XI. What a mess.

Under the new leadership, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has finally started to hold the Commission Council Hearing for a comprehensive assessment of the merger and share acquisition transactions notified to the KPPU. The first hearing was conducted on the share acquisition transaction of PT Semen Grobogan by PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk (INTP).

Nearly five years ago the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named a suspect in the corrupt procurement of oil and refinery products involving Pertamina Energy Trading Ltd (Petral). By then, this complicated case has imprisoned many parties and Petral has been liquidated for four years. Unfortunately, such an important case did not attract public attention, the investigation and inquisition process just disappeared from the news. We even almost forgot about this case, until towards the end of last week when the KPK was known to have started examining witnesses. We realize that one of the witnesses, a former Pertamina official, had been convicted in a different case, although he was finally acquitted by the Supreme Court. When it comes to the oil and gas industry, everything is a mess.