Windi Purnama, one of the many suspects in the BAKTI case, the case of alleged corruption related to a project at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, has been found guilty. Although a lot of interesting things emerged in the investigation process, we know that in the case all eyes were on former Minister Johnny Plate (NasDem). The public does not discuss Windi’s role much. This is unfortunate, especially because Windi was named suspect on allegations of money laundering and the case caused over Rp8 trillion of State losses. In the last hearing, Windi was sentenced to a fairly light punishment.

It has been nearly fifteen years since the Montara H1-ST1 wellhead caught fire in 2009. The incident caused environmental damages to Indonesia’s coast. The companies involved initially insisted on their innocence then representatives of the affected people and farmers filed a class-action lawsuit in the Australian Federal Court. In Indonesia, the Government also tried several means to demand the parties be held accountable. The last time we reported on the proceedings was in 2021, when the Court gave a very satisfying result. However, the Court’s judgment is meaningless if the companies involved deny responsibility. Fortunately, the Australian Federal Court eventually decided in favor of the plaintiffs in 2022. However, even after all that, so far, the farmers reportedly have not received the compensation they should have received, no thanks to the complicated issue with their own legal representatives and funders.

The investigation into the case of corruption in Papua finally ended as the latest defendant in the case recently found guilty. But this is not the end for the entire investigation.

As we all know, this case initially was developed as a result of the investigation into the case that ensnared the former General Manager of PT Hutama Karya, Budi Rachmat Kurniawan, i.e., the corruption of Phase III Development of the Education and Training Center for Marine Studies (BP21P) in Sorong, Papua. In the first case, Budi was found guilty and sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with the obligation to pay Rp300 million in compensation. The verdict was much lighter than the demands of the KPK prosecutors: five years with the obligation to pay Rp300 million in fines subsidiary six months imprisonment and the obligation to pay Rp576 million in compensation.

The trial of the decade ended in 2020. Benny Tjokrosaputro and Heru Hidayat, who were defendants in the corruption related to PT Asuransi Jiwasraya, were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. It’s a historic outcome in Indonesia’s corruption eradication effort, but questions remain until today. Benny insisted that he was not the one to blame in the case. During the court proceedings he accused the Bakrie Group for playing a bigger role in causing State losses, Benny even tried to sue the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) repeatedly, but we never really understand what he really meant. Interestingly, last month the South Jakarta District Court registered a lawsuit filed by several familiar names against the Attorney General’s Office (AGO). The plaintiffs remind us of the Asuransi Jiwasraya case and recently we learned that the lawsuit is linked to convict Heru Hidayat.

It has been three years since the provision of a mining operation license to PT Tambang Mas Sangihe (PT TMS) on Sangihe Island in North Sulawesi has become a controversy. Several representatives of the affected residents filed a lawsuit to the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta) against the decision given to the mining company soon after. Then, a different group filed a different lawsuit to the PTUN Manado. After years of legal battle, the Government decided to annul PT TMS license in September 2023. However, the company refused to surrender.

The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) under the new leadership conveyed efforts to increase coordination with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), especially to handle and prevent criminal acts of money laundering in merger and acquisition transactions which are closely related to beneficial owners. The importance of supervising the beneficial owners had been regulated in the President Regulation (Perpres) No. 13/2018 on the Implementation of Principles of Recognizing the Beneficiaries of Corporations in the Framework of the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering and Criminal Acts of Terrorism, otherwise known as the Perpres on Beneficial Ownership. However, its implementation is far from satisfactory.

A couple of years ago the public finally aware of the problem within the Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI/Eximbank) which lead to graft investigation. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) commence the process and named dozens of suspects in three cases, including allegation of obstruction of justice. By 2022, all parties have been found guilty, unfortunately far from media coverage. A year later, however, we learned that there is possibility of a development of investigation. Now, nine months after that, the news was proven to be true. The Minister of Finance recently visited the AGO and brought along reports on four debtors of the LPEI, alleging fraudulent acts which caused losses to the State. The interesting part is the Minister said this is only the first report and the second report will be related to six debtors. Combined, the two reports concern around Rp5 trillion of State losses.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ministry of Social Affairs, which is supposed to guarantee the welfare of the people, is instead involved in a whirlpool of corruption. After previously the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) succeeded in ensnaring the Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari Batubara (PDIP) for actively involved in the crime, the KPK has uncovered another corruption scheme which is still related to aid for the people affected by the pandemic. The key person recently stand trial and court proceedings continue far from media coverage.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) finally announced the progress in the case of alleged corruption involving the Secretariat General of the House of Representatives and named none other than the Secretary General, Indra Iskandar as suspect. Separately, former Secretary of the Supreme Court, Hasbi Hasan, listened to the prosecutors demands in the latest hearing.