It has been over a year since we were exposed to the dispute between Luxembourg’s Molucca Holdings S.à.r.l and PT Pelita Cengkareng Paper and since then the parties continue exchanging lawsuits. Until now, however, nothing is resolved. On June 18, 2019, the latest hearing of the most recent lawsuit was held, and we learned that the dispute would not be over anytime soon.

Two years have passed 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 including Edward Soeryadjaja and one Betty Halim. Helmi was found guilty on January 29, 2018, and a year later Edward was convicted. We kept wondering back then why the AGO needs a long time to finish Betty’s docket although the institution had several times said they’re close to complete her docket. The AGO decided to make her a Justice Collaborator and recently announced they had finished her letter of indictment.

On June 17, 2019, the Commercial Court of the Central Jakarta District Court registered a lawsuit for Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU) against PT Pertalahan Arnebatara Natura and its parent company PT Bumi Hasta Mukti. The court did not publish more information...

For the past month the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has been facing pre-trial lawsuits filed by the parties they named suspects of corruption. Luckily for the KPK, some decided to withdraw their lawsuit, and the most recent party to do so is PT Palma Satu, the sixth corporate suspect ever named by the KPK. PT Palma Satu was named suspect in the case of corruption related to the conversion of forest land that ensnared the disgraced Governor of Riau Annas Maamun. The owner of the Company the conglomerate Surya Darmadi was also named a suspect in the case, and he also filed a pre-trial lawsuit. His lawsuit, however, was rejected by the court. Separately, investigation into the case of bribery involving Romahurmuziy (Rommy), the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) continues. The investigation now focuses on allegations of bribery practices that could have occurred in the rector’s election at a number of State Islamic Universities (UIN).

It has only been three years since PT Forza Land Indonesia Tbk (FORZ, formerly PT Megah Satu Properti) launched its plan to offer the Company’s shares through initial public offering (IPO), and two years since the plan was realized in April 2017. Nevertheless, the Company are already facing issues. Last week the Commercial Court of the Central Jakarta District Court registered two lawsuit on Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU) against the Company.

The dispute between PT Kawasan Berikat Nusantara (Persero) (KBN) and PT Karya Citra Nusantara (KCN), its own subsidiary established together with PT Karya Tekhnik Utama (KTU) is getting more complicated after the former decided to publish an article about the case from their perspective in their official website attacking the latter’s legal counsel. KCN also felt attacked by another news published on a national media outlet about the dispute. So on June 17, 2019, KCN through its legal counsel the prominent advocate Juniver Girsang published a lengthy rebuttal and subpoena in a national newspaper.

The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) began examining the allegation of conspiracy in the construction of the Kalimantan-Java gas pipeline (Kalija I) in December 2018. Last week, the Commission Assembly found the reported parties not guilty of the charges. Despite the decision, the Assembly still gave some recommendations. But we still have to wait for a copy of the decision to have more information.

After several months of examinations, by the end of May 2019 the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) finally decided that the four shipping companies reported in the allegation of monopoly in the Freight Container Service Industry guilty. They’re thus fined. The KPPU also issued recommendations for the Ministry of Transportation. Separately, the examination into the allegation of cartel-like practices related to the increase of salt prices continues.

The trial of the first two defendants in the case of bribery involving Romahurmuziy (Rommy), the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) continues. We know that the case also implicate the Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, who is also a PPP politician. The latest hearing revealed more than what the Prosecutors mentioned in the indictment.

We can still remember the nostalgic feeling four years ago when the Commercial Court at the Central Jakarta District Court decided to ratify the peace agreement between PT Sariwangi Agricultural Estate Agency (Sari Wangi AEA Co Ltd – Sariwangi), its subsidiary PT Maskapai Perkebunan Indorub Sumber Wadung (Indorub), and their creditors. It’s a result of months of negotiations in a period of Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU). But last year, the peace agreement was annulled by the same Commercial Court. Both companies were deemed bankrupt and thus entered insolvency. Those who grew up drinking teas from Sariwangi were in shock. In the last days of the battle, Indorub had to fight alone. They’re also alone when submitting the petition for cassation to the Supreme Court against the cancellation of the peace agreement. Unfortunately for Indorub, the Supreme Court decided to uphold their bankruptcy. The copy of the verdict was uploaded recently.