Earlier this year, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced an investigation into the case of alleged corruption related to PT Graha Telkom Sigma (PT GTS, subsidiary of PT Sigma Cipta Caraka – Sigma). Eight individuals have been named suspects since then and the case allegedly caused State losses amounted to over Rp200 billion. This week, we learned that the AGO developed their investigation and managed to find an entry to a new case, which allegedly caused over Rp300 billion in State losses.

Nearly three years ago we were exposed to the case of alleged corruption related to a land acquisition for the DP 0% housing program, which was the flagship program of then Governor Anies Baswedan. The case was investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and managed to ensnare individual and corporate suspects, including Yoory Corneles Pinontoan, the former president director of the Regional Public Corporation Pembangunan Sarana Jaya (PD Sarana Jaya). The suspects were found guilty in the last week of February 2022 then the POLRI entered the picture. Nearly a year after the verdict was given, earlier this year, the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim POLRI) announced a new and similar case and named Yoory as a suspect. This week, Yoory stands trial for the second time.

In recent years we have seen several examples of poor management of pension funds (dana pension – dapen) for employees of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN). The case related to the Dapen Pertamina even ensnared high profile convicts, including Edward Soeryadjaya, son of the late founder of Astra Group William Soeryadjaya. Apparently, this situation has not escaped the attention of the Ministry of BUMN. In his efforts to eradicate corruption as mandated by the President, several months ago Minister Erick Thohir conveyed allegations of corruption in the management of several Dapen, these allegations were proven this week by an audit report from BPKP on four Dapen which allegedly caused State losses of Rp300 billion. 

In August 2023 the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) to immediately announce the names of candidates for legislative members at all levels who are former convicts in graft cases and other criminal cases. KPU made the much-needed announcement several days later. Although we agree that this announcement is important, the KPU is not entirely wrong. We have seen how the KPU is struggling with bureaucracy and the rule of law to prevent former convicts from participating in general elections for over five years only to get rejection from the Supreme Court. This year, for a very odd reason, the Supreme Court once again decided to reject the KPU decision to allow such participation.

Entering the campaign period ahead of the 2024 General Election, the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates have begun to express their political promises to the public. Of the three coalitions that currently exist, the Koalisi Perubahan untuk Persatuan (KPP) is the only one that has declared its presidential and vice presidential candidates, Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar (PKB). Of all the prospective candidates, the promise made by Muhaimin or who is familiarly called Gus Imin (formerly Cak Imin) is the one that caught our attention. Muhaimin promised several things which were part of the planned revision of the Law on Villages and more or less confirmed that the revision of the Law had political aims.

Nearing the end of its term, the Satuan Tugas Penanganan Hak Tagih Negara Dana Bantuan Likuiditas Bank Indonesia (Satgas BLBI) accelerated its action. This week, the Satgas published two summons for the management of two companies who have outstanding debts to the...

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) reportedly searched the official residence of the Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 evening. The search was confirmed directly by the Head of the News Section of the KPK, Ali Fikri. The KPK has not yet explained the cases which lead to the operation, but we know that Syahrul was already examined in June 2023. Syahrul immediately claimed that corruption is not allowed in the ministry he leads, even so, we know that this ministry is prone to corruption, so this news is not surprising. Note that Syahrul’s two younger siblings are graft convicts and Syahrul is a NasDem politician.

The Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court held the first hearing on Stefanus Roy Rening, former legal counsel of the disgraced Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe. We know that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) indicted Roy for obstruction of justice as he was supposedly the one who persuaded Lukas and the people of Papua to fight against the KPK decisions. In the middle of the inquisition stage, we know Roy, through his colleague, tried to challenge the law to the Constitutional Court and reasoned that an advocate was protected by immunity, but the petition was denied.

Two months before its term ended, the Satuan Tugas Penanganan Hak Tagih Negara Dana Bantuan Likuiditas Bank Indonesia (Satgas BLBI) accelerated its action. In the past week, the Satgas carried out various confiscations and physical control on assets related to the BLBI. And apart from that, obligors also continue to be summoned.

Towards the end of 2022, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a Sting Operation in East Java and arrested several parties involved in a case of alleged bribery. The KPK later announced four suspects, including the deputy speaker of the East Java DPRD, Sahat Tua Simandjuntak (Golkar). East Java has had frequent encounters with the KPK, by then, as if they were reluctant to learn or maybe they really weren’t afraid of the KPK. So, we are not surprised to hear the news. Nearly a year later, Sahat had been found guilty.