Development on Riau Power Plant Graft Case: Suspect Idrus Marham
Over a month ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a Sting Operation and arrested then Deputy Chairman of the House Commission VII Eni Saragih (Golkar). At the heart of the case is the ongoing power plant project in Riau. Eni allegedly used her authority to help Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo, whose family controlled Blackgold Natural Resources Ltd, to speed up the implementation of the project. But Eni refuses to go down alone. She quickly point her fingers to the President Director of PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) (PLN) and her senior in Golkar Idrus Marham. The KPK examined the two men repeatedly and finally announced Idrus as a new suspect of the case in the evening of August 24, 2018.
Where Are You Heading To, Indonesia?
When President Jokowi announced Ma’ruf Amin as his chosen running mate, supporter of the former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja “Ahok” Purnama immediately expressed their disappointment. Mar’uf’s MUI was a part of the movement that drove Ahok to prison. Some fear for their freedom as minorities. This worry is further amplified by the development of the blasphemy case against Meliana—a housewife who had allegedly sought for a ban on the call for prayer—, and the worrying parade of kindergarten students wearing a niqab, while carring replica of AK-47 in Probolinggo.
Dispute Board for Construction Sector
Earlier this week the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing and the Atma Jaya University in Yogyakarta held an international conference discussing the Dispute Board. With so many ongoing infrastructure developments in Indonesia, the Government encourages that disputes related to construction work contracts to be resolved outside of court or by way of an alternative process of resolving disputes, among others through the dispute board, on the grounds that a settlement in this way can provide many benefits, especially saving time and costs and maintaining good relations between the parties. But what exactly is the dispute board?
Lawsuits Against Jokowi
The High Court (PT) of Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan has recently upheld the verdict of the Palangka Raya District Court (PN) on the citizen lawsuit filed by a group of seven individuals affiliated with WALHI and other non-government organizations (NGOs) against the President of Indonesia and 6 other co-defendants.
Expansion of the Mandatory Use of B20 Biodiesel
On August 15, 2018, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo officially issued Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 66/2018 which regulates the expansion of the mandatory use of biodiesel. This regulation also revised the provisions in Perpres No. 61/2015 concerning the collection and use of funds for oil palm plantations. The new Perpres will come into effect on September 1, 2018.
Ongoing Lawsuits in PTUN Jakarta
Last week, the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta) registered two interesting lawsuit filed by two different companies: PT Putra Mekongga Sejahtera located in Southeast Sulawesi and PT Unggul Lestari located in Central Kalimantan.
Corruption in the Mining Sector
Since before the simultaneous regional elections were held in June 2018, several environmental watchdog agencies had warned the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of the alleged use of mining licensing process as a means of obtaining political campaign funds. Recently, after regional election was held, WALHI submitted a report to the KPK on the alleged involvement of as many as 36 regional leaders in corruption cases related to the granting of mining licenses.
Revisiting the Paid Plastic Bags Policy and Plan for Plastic Excise
In a move to limit the usage of plastic bags, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry tested a policy on paid plastic bags for retail business in 2016. But the program ended only seven months after it was launched. The lack of legal basis and different authorities in each State institutions were some of the challenges. Two years later, the Government listed income from plastic excise in the 2018 State Budget (APBN 2018), and yet the required regulations that would facilitate the collection said income are not yet available.
Financial Service’s Policy Package
The Government has launched a total of 16 Economic Policy Packages as of last year. The results, according to the Government, can be seen in the increasing international trust in Indonesia’s economic resilience. Recently, the Financial Service Authority (OJK) followed the Government’s steps and launched a Policy Package that focuses on policies to encourage increased exports and supports national economy. OJK hopes that the policies to be enacted can help the national economy escape global pressure.
Trade War: Indonesia v. United States
Following the United States’ threat on Indonesian export, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita visited the country last month. But apparently, the visit did not yield the expected result. Earlier this month, The United States (U.S.) had notified the Dispute...