The public was shocked by news from the East Java regional police on Aug. 14, 2023. Investigators from the Specific Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) at the regional police reportedly conducted searches on the Grha Wismilak building and immediately carried out confiscation. This action was taken after obtaining a court order and allegedly related to investigations into corruption cases and even money laundering. What is really happening?

Not even a month has passed since the uproar resulted from the disclosure of a scandal at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), now the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that they are also investigating other cases of alleged corruption at the same institution. Reportedly, the KPK has even named three suspects, what a busy month for Basarnas.

Government efforts to increase tax revenues are ongoing. Three years after the Ministry of Finance expanded the tax base by collecting Value Added Tax (VAT/PPN) for digital products in trading through the electronic system (PMSE), the number of collectors continues to increase. There are now 158 companies that have the same set of responsibilities. The value of tax revenue also continues to increase.

Two years ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced the investigation into the allegations of corruption in the arrangement of excisable goods managed by the Concession Agency (BP) in the Bintan Free Trade and Free Port Zone (FTZ) (BP Bintan). It took the KPK four more months to arrest and announce the suspects, one of whom is the Regent of Bintan Apri Sujadi (Demokrat). The suspects were found guilty in May 2022, but the KPK did not stop the investigation. As a result, towards the end of last week the KPK announced a new case related to a similar scheme committed in BP Tanjungpinang and named the former Chief of the agency, Den Yealta, as suspect.  

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) managed to uncover a corruption scheme carried out by parties at the Directorate General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation several months ago after a series of sting operation. The revelation was a shame because it hasn’t been that long since a railway line outside Java was inaugurated, who would have guessed that the parties involved in this project were not spared from corruption. The KPK colossally named 10 suspects and the inquisition was completed within only two months. Trial of the key defendants started in two different corruption courts in the last week of June 2023. This week, just less than two months later, the prosecutors had read their demands. We can’t help but wonder whether the trial has been conducted properly.

The problem related to PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTM) is getting even more complicated as the prosecutors’ office named the latest suspect in the case of alleged corruption related to its mining products. The Southeast Sulawesi High Prosecutors’ Office (Kejati) initially named three suspects and by last week there had been eight suspects in the case, three of whom are officials of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). The progress of the investigation should not come as a surprise anymore, but the latest announcement is still surprising because among the new suspects announced is the former Director General of Minerals and Coal of said Ministry, Ridwan Djamaluddin.

Earlier this year, the power of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) was strengthened by the authority to investigate along with the enactment of Law No. 4/2023 concerning Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector (UU PPSK). However, we all know that the institution has never been without problems and with so many responsibilities, its performance is still being questioned by many parties. This time, the question was brought to the Constitutional Court in the form of a Judicial Review application. The court examination is ongoing.

Towards the end of 2021, the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim POLRI) announced that they were investigating allegations of corruption at PT Jakarta Infrastruktur Propertindo (PT JIP), a subsidiary of PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro)—a company owned by city administration of Jakarta. The POLRI also announced that it had named two suspects in the case and later developed the investigation and named the two suspects as suspects in the case of alleged money laundering. It took more than a year for the two suspects to be found guilty last month. Interestingly, the POLRI did not stop investigating. This week, POLRI announced two new suspects in the predicate crime.

For some time now the public has been disturbed by the ongoing Judicial Review at the Constitutional Court that aims to change the age limit of presidential and vice presidential candidates. To date, there have been at least 10 applications with similar aims. Because the applications were submitted to coincide with the general election process, many suspected that this was a way for Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, to become a vice presidential candidate. However, is that really the case? Why is this application at issue? Haven’t we wanted leaders from the younger generation for a long time because we are tired of the “boomers”?