The Indosat-IM2 Case
Two years have passed since the Supreme Court (MA) refused the Reconsideration (PK) plea filed by the former Managing Director of PT Indosat Mega Media (IM2) Indar Atmanto. Indar Atmanto was convicted of graft for causing the state to suffer a Rp1.3 trillion in financial loss in a 3G frequency deal. In October 2015, the Supreme Court rejected his PK plea but news of the continuation of the investigation into the graft case just evaporated. Last month, the NGO Association of Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) led by Boyamin Saimin filed a pre-trial lawsuit at the South Jakarta District Court, demanding the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to continue the investigation on other suspects in the case. MAKI listed the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as co-defendant in the lawsuit. When did the KPK enter the picture?
The End for Choel Mallarangeng, and Ratu Atut’s Plea
Andi Zoelkarnaen Mallarangeng (familiarly called by the name Choel), who is being suspected of graft in the development of the Hambalang Sports School (P3SON), was found guilty of all charges. On July 6, 2017, Choel was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months imprisonment. On the same day, at the same district court, the former Governor of Banten Ratu Atut Chosiyah read her plea in the trial of the case on the Banten province’s procurement of medical equipment for the fiscal year of 2011 and 2013. Ratu Atut said she made an unintentional mistake.
SinemArt’s Shareholding Dispute: Resistance
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, are still in a dispute over the shareholding in PT Sinemart Indonesia, one of the biggest entertainment and production house companies in the country. The dispute occurred after a court decision states that the sale of shares of PT Sinemart Indonesia to SCMA’s subsidiary, which was conducted in January 2017, was not valid. What’s interesting is that the decision was made in an in absentia trial, and PT Sinemart Indonesia had no knowledge of the trial whatsoever. PT Sinemart Indonesia then filed for a verzet, or a resistance to the verdict.
More Problems for Hary Tanoe
This is not a good time being Hary Tanoesoedibjo. In addition to facing a criminal investigation (for allegedly threatening a prosecutor), Hary Tanoe must now face the blowback for sacking journalists. There were reports that some bureaus of Koran Sindo, a newspaper controlled by Hary’s MNC Group, had to be closed down. The report is apparently true, with the number of employees fired numbering in the hundreds. On July 5, 2017, the Ministry of Manpower invited the Board of Directors of the Group and the representatives of the employees to a meeting. Representatives of the laid off worker attended the meeting, and they were accompanied by representatives of Federasi Serikat Pekerja Media Independen (FSPMI), Aliansi Jurnalis Independen, and Legal Aid Institution (LBH) Pers. The MNC Group’s representatives, however, did not attend the meeting.
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.