Graft in Indonesia’s Kuala Lumpur Embassy
On February 7, 2017 the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced a new investigation into the allegation of corruption involving the Immigration Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The KPK told the press that the case was uncovered with the help of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), who began investigating the allegation of illegal levies on passport arrangement especially for Indonesian migrant workers since mid-2016.
Update on the Trans-Seram Graft Case: New Suspects
After months of speculation, on February 6, 2017, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named new suspects in the case of bribery in the Trans-Seram toll road construction project—the case that is known for bringing down the former member of the House Commission V of the House of Representatives Damayanti Wisnu Putranti (PDI-P). The new suspects are two of Damayanti’s colleagues in the House Commission V, namely, Musa Zainuddin (PKB) and Yudi Widiana Adia (PKS). With this announcement, this case has a total of 10 suspects, 5 of whom are legislators in the House Commission V from 5 different political parties.
Jokowi, Papua & Freeport
President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo is scheduled to visit Papua this week to inaugurate the Cross-Border Post (PLBN) Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) in Skouw, Muara Tami district, and tradtional market ‘Pasar Mama Mama’. This will be the eight visit to the eastern most provinces since becoming President of Republic of Indonesia in October 2014.
The New Supreme Court Secretary
Six months have passed since the Supreme Court’s then Secretary Nurhadi Abdurrahman resigned from his position. Yesterday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo finally decided to appoint the Head of the West Jakarta District Court Achmad Setyo Pudjoharsoyo as the replacement. Many wonder why the President chose Pudjoharsoyo because the public had warned the President of Achmad’s controversial verdict in the past.
AgustaWestland 101 Chopper Politics
Military commander General Gatot Nurmantyo complained about stripping off of his powers over budget to lawmakers Monday (Feb 6). Nurmantyo pointed to the controversies surrounding the arrival of AgustaWestland 101 (AW-101) helicopter at Halim Perdanakusuma airport recently, even though President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo had cancelled the procurement. What’s going on?
Choel Mallarangeng and the Case of Hambalang (Part II)
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Andi Zoelkarnaen Mallarangeng (commonly referred to as Choel) a suspect in the Hambalang sports complex graft case in 2015, but Choel was not detained, and not much happened since. Until yesterday, when the KPK decided to detain Choel after an examination session. Choel will be held for the next 20 days for the purpose of investigation.
Pertamina’s Graft Woes
Last week, the Government announced the dismissal of the President Director and Vice President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero) Dwi Soetjipto and Ahmad Bambang. The dismissal, according to the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, bore no political reason; both had to be dismissed because they supposedly could not cooperate with each other. This is an interesting development given that Pertamina is under intense scrutiny. Ahmad Bambang is now being examined as a witness in a case of alleged corruption involving PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental. On the same day the dismissal was announced, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) also announced the naming of the former President Director of Dana Pensiun Pertamina M. Helmi Kamal Lubis as a graft suspect. To this day, the AGO is investigating 3 allegations of corruption in Pertamina and its subsidiary. The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim Polri) is also investigating 1 case of alleged corruption involving Pertamina.
A New Investigation into the Mobile-8 Tax Restitution Case
In late November 2016, the South Jakarta District Court decided to partially grant the pre-trial lawsuits filed by the two suspects in the PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk (Mobile-8) tax restitution fraud case. The two suspects, i.e., Hary Djaja and Anthony Chandra Kartawiria have since been freed from criminal charges. The Court also stated that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) do not have the authority to investigate cases such as the tax restitution case. The AGO, however, refused to back down and last week it issued a new warrant of investigation for the same case. The AGO will have to start over the process of investigation.
Dahlan & the Ill-Fated Electric Cars Project
It has been a while since we last heard of anything related to the case of corruption in the procurement of electric cars for the 2013 APEC Summit. The case initially brought down the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Dahlan Iskan. The first suspect in the case, i.e., the Director of PT Sarimas Ahmadi Pratama Dasep Ahmadi was found guilty in March 2016, but the court decided that Dahlan Iskan was not involved in the case. At the stage of cassation, however, the Supreme Court not only aggravated Dasep’s punishment, but they also declared that Dahlan was involved. In response, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) named Dahlan Iskan as a new suspect in the case on January 26, 2017.
Update on Patrialis Akbar’s Case
The investigation into the bribery case that implicates the former justice of the Constitutional Court Patrialis Akbar continues. When examined by the newly-formed Honorary Assembly, Patrialis reportedly admitted to violating the Justices’ code of ethics. Prior to the examination, Patrialis had decided to resign from his post, but the Constitutional Court Board of Ethics are now considering to dishonorably dismiss Patrialis Akbar. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), meanwhile, had managed to find more than 20 stamps bearing the name of a number of ministries and international organizations providing halal certification while raiding locations in connection to this case.