Dito Ganinduto, lawmaker from Golkar Party, said early this week that the House of Representatives (DPR) will accomplish amendment of Law No 22/2001 about oil and gas before their term ends in the coming months. House Commission VII, overseeing energy and mining affairs, has reportedly completed discussion of the draft.

The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VI held a jointly held press conference with the Minister of Trade yesterday (Jan. 29) to announce their agreement to pass the trade bill next week on February 6, 2014. The bill will replace the 1934 law on trade (Bedrijfsreglementerings Ordonnatie 1934) and will unite substances previously regulated under separate laws, such as domestic and international trade, small-medium business empowerment, products and services standardization, electronic commerce, and more.

On January 15, 2014, the President signed into law the much anticipated bill on State Civil Aparatus (ASN) passed by the DPR December last year. Law No. 5/2014 outlined the management of civil service, covering aspects such as formation of jobs and assessment of needs; recruitment; ranks and positions; career pattern; promotion; transfers of employees; performance evaluation; wages and allowances; rewards; disciplin; termination of employment; pension and retirement savings; and employee protections. It’s a law that will revamp the Indonesian civil service, and hopefully change the delivery of public service.

Anas Urbaningrum, the ousted Chairman of Democratic Party, gave his testimony on the Hambalang graft case at the Jakarta Corruption Court yesterday (Jan. 21). People were curious with what Anas would share — whether he would spill a lot of incriminating details. Meanwhile, the deputy speaker of the house and a potential candidate for Golkar Party’s chairmanship, Priyo Budi Santoso, has once again been mentioned in the investigation into Koran graft case. Both Priyo and Anas once represent the next generation of leaders emerging from their own respective political party.

Then minister of finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati disclosed four years ago about tax scandal implicating PT Permata Hijau Sawit. The police had imposed red notice against its leader and owner. Sri Mulyani’s successor Agus Martowardojo then asked for ‘political support’ from the House of Representatives (DPR) to investigate the palm oil producer and trader.

According to the official website of the Constitutional Court, the Court will begin the first session of judicial review trial on the Presidential Election Law on Jan. 21, 2014. The request for judicial review was filed by Yusril Ihza Mahendra, former Law Minister and patron leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB). The court’s decision on Yusril’s judicial review is crucial as it could change the set up for both the presidential election and the legislative election.

Just hours after prosecutors named former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra and businessman Hartono Tanoesoedibjo suspects in bribery and corruption cases, former president Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana (Mbak Tutut) takes over PT...

Former East Java Regional Police Chief Herman Surjadi Sumawiredja decided to resign four months ahead of mandatory retirement as an expression of “protest” to what he called as “intervention” on investigation of serious election crimes in East Java governor election. In this report, (1) Benua Indah Group auction, (2) Kutai Regent gets 4-year, (3) Danamon vs Esa Kertas, (4) Bankruptcy filing on Kishore Narindas Vaswani.