Corruption in PT Dok dan Perkapalan Surabaya (Persero)
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) continues to investigate allegations of corruption involving State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN). This time, the target is PT Dok dan Perkapalan Surabaya (Persero). The allegation of corrupt practice in said BUMN made rounds in 2010 and currently the AGO has named 4 suspects. Interestingly, one of the suspects is Muhammad Firmansyah Arifin, who is a defendant in a different corruption case involving another BUMN, PT PAL Indonesia (Persero).
Plaza Lifestyle Prima (fX Sudirman) v. Cinemaxx
PT Cinemaxx Global Pacific (Cinemaxx) has to face a lawsuit filed by PT Plaza Lifestyle Prima, the management of the fX Sudirman shopping center. The lawsuit was registered at the Tangerang District Court, Banten, on October 24, 2017 related to leasing agreement dispute.
Multipolar v. Kharisma Artha Sejati et al.
The South Jakarta District Court registered a tort lawsuit under Case No. 732/Pdt.G/2017/PN JKT.SEL on October 25, 2017. The lawsuit was filed by PT Multipolar Tbk (MLPL) against three defendants including its own subsidiary PT Kharisma Artha Sejati.
E-KTP Judge Transferred
Earlier this week, the judge that had been presiding over the trial of Andi Agustinus a.k.a. Andi Narogong (a suspect in the electronic identity card (E-KTP) graft case), Judge Jhon Halasan Butarbutar, received a promotion and thus became a High Judge of the Pontianak High Court in West Kalimantan. This news shocked many as the trial of Andi Narogong is still ongoing. Judge Jhon is regarded as a fierce judge as he loves to argue against the defendants of the corruption case that he’s presiding over, he did not even hesitate to reprimand the witnesses who he deemed problematic.
SinemArt’s Shareholding Dispute: Appeal
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 in PT Sinemart Indonesia will not end in the near future. Two weeks ago, the Panel of Judges at the West Jakarta District Court decided not to accept the verzet petition, or resistance to the in absentia verdict, filed by PT Sinemart Indonesia. Sinemart and its owner Leo Sutanto said they would file for an appeal this week.
Sandiaga’s Case and the Jakarta Bay Reclamation
Even before he was sworn in as the Vice Governor of Jakarta on October 16, 2017, Sandiaga Uno knew that he was going to be examined as a witness in connection to a document forgery case, in which Sandiaga is alleged of conspiracy with his business partner one Andreas Tjahyadi. On October 19, 2017, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police announced that they had escalated the investigation into the case into the stage of inquisition and had named Andreas as a suspect.
RAPP (APRIL Group) v. Government
Last week, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry made a decision that surprised many. They canceled the Revised Business Plan on Utilization of Forest Timber Product in Industrial Plantation Forest (RKUPHHK-HTI) proposed by PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP). The cancellation and revocation of the revised business plan was reported by several national media outlets as revocation of the operating license of the Company. As a result, there was public anxiety because many people thought this decision would affect the fate of thousands of RAPP employees. To put an end to the dismay, on October 22, 2017, the Ministry published a press release and clarified the situation.
On Miryam’s Perjury Case: Prosecutors’ Demands
The trial of perjury suspect Miryam S. Haryani continues. On October 23, 2017, the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court heard the prosecutors’ demands.
Mining Tax Mystery
In a conference on “Beneficial Ownership Transparency”, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said that 24 percent of the mining companies operating in Indonesia are unidentified and thus they never pay their taxes. The KPK said that these anonymous companies have incurred a combined tax debt of Rp23 trillion.
Anies and the Jakarta Bay Reclamation Project
Tempo Magazine’s special report this week is a meeting held in early August 2017 between the Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan and property tycoons in the private residence of Gerindra patron Prabowo Subianto. The tycoons present in said meeting are developers of reclamation islands off of the coast of Jakarta.