Mining Problems in South Sumatera
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have a team to conduct a coordination and supervision in South Sumatera related to the province’s problems in the mining field (minerals and coals) since 2014. The assignment ended last year and it resulted in the province’s decision to revoke operational licenses (IUP) of 34 companies. Among the companies, 8 companies refused to accept the decision and filed lawsuits against the Governor and several other officials. The Palembang State Administrative Court (PTUN Palembang), however, decided in favor of some of the companies. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, published a cassation verdict in response to the lawsuit filed by PT Andalas Bara Sejahtera. In this case, the PTUN Palembang and the Supreme Court sided with the government.
Corruption Journal: Tonny Budiono’s Verdict and Edward Soeryadjaya’s Trial
The former Director General of Sea Transportation Antonius Tonny Budiono, who was caught back in August 2017 after receiving a bribe from the Commissioner of PT Adhiguna Keruktama (AGK) Adiputra Kurniawan, was found guilty on May 17, 2018. A day before Tonny’s hearing, the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court continued the trial of Edward Soeryadjaya, who was named a suspect in the case of alleged corruption related to misplaced investments made by Dana Pensiun Pertamina. The proceedings continued even though the South Jakarta District Court had previously granted Edward’s pre-trial petition and annulled his status as a suspect.
SinemArt’s Shareholding Dispute: A New Chapter?
The dispute between two of the biggest television companies, PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk (MNCN belonging to Hary Tanoesoedibjo) and PT Surya Citra Media Tbk (SCMA controlled by the Sariaatmadja family), over the shareholding of PT Sinemart Indonesia continues. The owner of Sinemart Leo Sutanto first challenged the decision of the West Jakarta District Court and failed. They then took the dispute to the appeal stage, and they won after the Jakarta High Court ruled in favor of their petition. The Panel of Appeals had actually decided on the matter in the second week of April 2018, but the verdict was only published earlier this month.
The Sting Operation in Bengkulu
It has been a while since the last time we heard of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)’s move in Bengkulu. On May 16, 2018, the KPK announced they had named several suspects as a result of a Sting Operation conducted a day before. Among the suspects are the Regent of South Bengkulu Dirwan Mahmud and his wife one Hendrati. This is the fifth Sting Operation in Bengkulu within the last two years, Dirwan and Hendrati also made it to the list of spouses caught in corruption.
Corruption Journal
The Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court recently listened to the indictment for the Regent of Central Lampung one Mustafa, who was arrested for bribing members of the region’s DPRD earlier this year. At the same day, the court listened to the prosecutors’ demands for one Sigit Yugoharto, an auditor of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) who received bribes from one Setia Budi, a General Manager of PT Jasa Marga (Persero) Tbk (Purbaleunyi). The punishment demanded for Sigit is four times heavier than the punishment demanded for Setia Budi.
Corruption Journal: Martin Tome’s Case and Hulu Sungai Tengah Graft Case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named the former Regent of Sabu Raijua in East Nusa Tenggara Marthen Dira Tome a suspect in the corruption of education funds, a crime that allegedly happened in November 2016. He was found guilty last year but the verdict given by the corruption court at the Surabaya District Court were too light if compared to the punishment demanded by the rposecutors. The KPK decided to keep fighting and in the stage of Cassation the Supreme Court decided to aggravate Marthen’s sentences. Meanwhile, the trial of the President Director of PT Menara Agung Pustaka one Donny Witono, who was arrested after giving bribes to the former Regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST) Abdul Latif, will end soon as the prosecutors have read their demands.
Kaharudin Ongko v. BFI Finance
The dispute on the ownership of shares between PT Aryaputra Teguhartha, a company with links to PT Ongko Multicorpora (PT Mitra Investindo Multicorpora) and Kaharudin Ongko (Bank Umum Nasional and former defendant in the BLBI graft case); and PT Bunas Finance Indonesia Tbk (now PT BFI Finance Tbk) (BFIN) has been going on for almost two decades. There are legally binding verdicts on the dispute, but Aryaputra, as reported by bisnis.com and kontan.co.id refuses to surrender. In a press conference held on May 14, 2018, Aryaputra’s legal counsels conveyed their plan to file another lawsuit.
Revisiting the Amendment of the Law on Counter-terrorism
This has been a very turbulent week for most Indonesians. Three families that are supposedly connected to the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) were involved in a series of bombings in East Java. The attacks happened just days after the inmates of the prison situated in the Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) assaulted the guards and took over the control of the prison. In the wake of the attacks, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo gave the House of Representatives (DPR) an ultimatum: pass the long-delayed bill on the amendment of the Law on Counter-terrorism by June 2018, or else the Government will issue a Government in Lieu of Law (Perppu). Soon after the President’s remarks, the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto said that the Government and the DPR had agreed to promulgate the bill by this month. That sounds easy. So what has been the cause of the delay?
On the BLBI Graft Case: Indictment for Syaf
After taking over the investigation of the case from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), On April 24, 2017, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Syafruddin “Syaf” Arsyad Temenggung, fomer Chairman of the Indonesia’s Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), a suspect in the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) graft case. Moving to prosecution was not easy. The KPK needed over a year to finish the investigation and inquisition, and on May 14, 2018, the trial of Syaf finally began. The KPK’s prosecutor read their indictment, mentioning involvement of other parties. Syaf, however, still denied his responsibility and will filed an objection in the next hearing.
Corruption Journal: The Manado High Court Case, and the E-KTP Graft Case
The Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court recently listened to the prosecutors' demands for two defendants in the case of bribery involving the former Chief of Manado High Court Sudiwardono. Even though the two defendants admitted to their crimes, the...