Hary Tanoe’s SMS Case
On June 23, 2017 the National Police declared the businessman-cum-politician Hary Tanoesoedibjo a suspect for allegedly intimidating Prosecutor Yulianto, an Attorney General’s Office (AGO) official. Hary, chairman of Perindo Party and owner of diversified business group MNC, was thus banned from travelling overseas for 20 days. The public should already be well acquainted with the case, especially because the short messaging system (SMS) text that Hary Tanoe sent to Yulianto have been frequently published in numerous media outlets. The question now is whether the SMS is enough to implicate Hary in a crime.
Additional Time for Bima Multi Finance
PT Bima Multi Finance (the Company) is still in their period of Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU). In the meeting of creditors held on July 4, 2017, the majority of the creditors agreed that the draft of the Company’s peace proposal had to be revised. The creditors thus granted the Company additional time for coming up with the best debt restructuring solution. Meanwhile, the Company said that a creditor was interested in becoming the Company’s shareholder.
Strategic Programs and Land Acquisition
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo made building public facilities and infrastructures his main mission from the start of his leadership. He launched hundreds of projects, and for the sake of expediting their completion, made them National Strategic Projects (PSN). But despite the best of his intention, only a few projects run without obstacles. The classic problem in the implementation of said projects is land acquisition. In a move to tackle this problem, the Government issued the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 56/2017. The aim is to address the social impact of land acquisition processes.
The Dispute Related to the Imported Beef Cartel Case
Last year, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) examined the allegations of cartel-like practices involving 32 feedloters. The KPPU later decided that the companies had conspired to influence the prices of beef around the Greater Jakarta area. All of them were sentenced to paying a fine to the extent of their involvement in the conspiracy. The companies decided to file an objection at the Central Jakarta District Court and the first hearing was held on May 23, 2017. The companies that objected to the decision asked the Panel of Judges to conduct an additional examination before continuing with the trial. The Panel of Judges will read their verdict on July 11, 2017.
Updates on Patrialis Akbar’s Case
The trial of businessman Basuki Hariman and his secretary Ng Fenny, the two suspected bribers in the graft case involving the former Constitutional Court (MK) Justice Patrialis Akbar, continues. In the hearing held on July 3, 2017, the court listened to the accounts of Patrialis Akbar, and to the recorded conversation between Patrialis and the intermediary in the case Kamaludin.
Updates on the E-KTP Graft Case
The investigation into the electronic identity cards (E-KTP) procurement graft case continues. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is now focusing on examining the politicians that are allegedly involved in the case. On July 3, 2017, the KPK was able to examine the Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly. But the other witnesses summoned for the examination failed to show up. Apart from the examination, the KPK reportedly had transferred the docket of Miryam S. Haryani, the suspect on the case of alleged perjury, to the prosecutors’ office. In addition, the House of Representatives (DPR) Special Committee (Pansus) responsible for the submission of the rights of inquiry against the KPK will visit the graft convicts in the Sukamiskin penitentiary and the Supreme Audit Agency later this week.
The Amendment to the Law on Counterterrorism
In the past two weeks, there’s been two terror attacks aimed at the police; one took place in North Sumatera and another in South Jakarta. One policeman died in the attack in North Sumatera after being brutally stabbed in his sleep. Four men were named suspects after the incident. In South Jakarta, two police officers were stabbed inside a mosque after finishing their evening prayers by an attacker who also joined the prayers. These attackers used3 the same method: stabbing. They also have the same target: the police. One of the attackers in the North Sumatera case is reportedly a follower of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, the same organization behind the bombing attack in Kampung Melayu back in May 2017. The rising number of attacks targeting the police further intensified the pressure for the promulgation of the amended Law on Counterterrorism.
Leadership Disputes in INSA
Indonesia’s world of shipping business has been going through a difficult year because the only professional association for the shipowners, i.e.,the Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association, is now torn into two different leaderships. The Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA) was recognized by Ministry of Law and Human Rights under the leadership of Johnson W. Sutjipto, while the Union of Indonesian National Commerce Shipping Entrepreneurs (PPPNNI – P3N2I) was recognized under the leadership of Carmelita Hartoto Hardikusumo. Because of this duality, on March 2016, Carmelita and Budhi Halim filed a lawsuit to demand the revocation of the decree that validates Sutjipto’s leadership. The lawsuit was accepted, but apparently the Ministry decided to publish two other decrees in favor of Sutjipto. In mid-2017, Carmelita once again filed a lawsuit, but this time against the Minister of Law and Human Rights.
The Delisting of AcrossAsia Limited and Lippo Group’s Bribery Case
Last year, Edy Nasution—a former Registrar of the Central Jakarta District Court—was caught receiving bribes from an employee of PT Artha Pratama Anugerah (APP, a subsidiary of Lippo Group) by the name of Doddy Arianto Supeno. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) subsequently developed the investigation and led them to the Lippo Group. Edy and Doddy were convicted by the end of 2016. At the same time, the KPK named Eddy Sindoro as the new suspect in the case. To this day, however, there is no news on the progress of the investigation. The KPK is also reluctant to clarify Eddy’s whereabouts. What make things even more interesting is that on the second week of June 2017, one of the companies at the heart of the case, i.e., AcrossAsia Limited (previously HKEX:8061) was delisted from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
Inquiring the KPK (Part II)
The Special Committee (Pansus) tasked with inquiring the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) asked the KPK to allow Miryam S. Haryani to attend the hearing with the Pansus. But on June 19, 2017, the KPK sent a letter rejecting the request. The KPK did not allow the Pansus to meet Miryam even in the KPK building. According to the KPK, the meeting could be categorized as a disruption of investigation. The Pansus then asked the National Police to intervene, but the National Police refused to cooperate. The Pansus is not pleased, with some of its members threatening the KPK and the National Police with restrictive budgeting. The Pansus recently showed sign of escalating threats to the KPK by involving the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK). Several members of the Pansus said that they could ask the BPK to conduct an investigative audit on the KPK.