The investigation into the case of alleged corruption related to PT Graha Telkom Sigma (PT GTS, subsidiary of PT Sigma Cipta Caraka – Sigma) continues. After announcing that the case had been escalated to the stage of inquisition and named six suspects in the case. Within just two weeks, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) named two more suspects. The latest suspect was announced yesterday.

The Satgas BLBI continues to make its ongoing efforts to ensure that the State’s collection rights can be fulfilled. This is done through several actions including confiscating collateral assets and other assets owned by obligors/debtors who have received BLBI funding facilities and have not completed their obligations properly. Within the last two weeks, the Satgas seized and exercised physical control of the collateral assets related to several obligors. However, a new problem may emerge.

The opposition continue to accuse Jokowi administration of political motivation behind the naming of Johnny G Plate, secretary general of NasDem Party, a suspect in the corruption case at BAKTI Kominfo, an agency under Johnny’s supervision at ministry of communications and informatics. 

The drafting of the Bill on Forfeiture of Criminal Assets has been started since 2008. The goal is noble, so that the criminals who have caused losses to the State will lose the proceeds of their crimes and State losses can be recovered. But the road to get the Bill passed wasn’t easy, until earlier this year. Earlier this month, the Government announced motivating progress. The President has sent a letter (Surat Presiden – Surpres) to the House of Representatives asking for the Bill to be discussed immediately, but the President’s request has been ignored. The two plenary sessions that took place after the Surpres was sent did not discuss the Bill. Why is that?

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a Sting Operation which revealed a confusing and prolonged dispute within KSP Intidana towards the end of last year. The case initially ensnared several people including Justice Sudrajad Dimyati, making him the first Justice ensnared by the KPK. Soon after, the KPK managed to develop their investigation and announced three other cases related to the predicate crime. By now, there are dozens of suspects including two Justices. The prosecutors recently demanded Sudrajad to be punished to 13 years in prison while one suspect decided to challenge the KPK in a pre-trial. On the other hand, several individuals decided to return the money they received from the case.

Over two years ago, in light of the corruption scandal in PT Asuransi Jiwasraya, the public learned about a different problem in PT Asuransi Jiwa Adisarana Wanaartha, also known as WanaArtha Life. Initially, the company objected to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) decision which seized their assets in the case. As a result, the company cannot fulfill its obligations to its clients. However, the case would actually be the beginning of revelation of other crimes committed by WanaArtha officials. In addition to a criminal investigation initiated by the police, the company operating license has finally been annulled by the Financial Service Authority (OJK) in December 2022. The fall of the company resulted in many victims, including PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (INCO). In early 2023, Vale filed a lawsuit against several parties related to Wanaartha Life, this lawsuit was dropped shortly thereafter. Last week, a similar lawsuit was filed again.

In recent years, we have witnessed various cases of alleged corruption in the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) being exposed. These cases always involved officials of the directorate general, but for some reason the public didn’t really pay much attention to the oddities within the institution, until recently. The witch hunt, which began after Rafael Alun’s irrational wealth was investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), has now ensnared the Head of DJBC Office in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Andhi Pramono.

Sukhoi Superjet (SSJ) 100 aircraft with flight number RA36801, conducted a flight demonstration or joy flight organized by PT Trimarga Rekatama in May 2012, but tragedy could not be avoided. The plane crashed into the cliffs of Mount Salak, West Java, killing 45 passengers. At that time, PT Sky Aviation had already ordered 12 SSJ-100 units and even though the public witnessed the horror of the accident, the airlines continued with the agreement. We know how this story ends, Sky Aviation stopped operating just one year after the first SSJ-100 arrived in Indonesia, leaving a lot of debt. Now, nearly 12 years later, Irkut Corporation (who is now the parent company of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company) filed a default lawsuit against Sky Aviation and one other party.

One of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) biggest achievements in 2022 was probably the revelation of the cooking oil scandal. However, what started as a shock to the nation, turned out to be less of a surprise in court. The public no longer paid much attention to the trial. The indictments for the defendants were read out in the last week of August 2022, and in just four months, towards the end of December 2022, the demands for the defendants were read out. In January 2023, the defendants were declared guilty but not on the main indictment. Thus, the decisions given are far from what was expected by the AGO. On the appeal stage, the decision remains the same then the AGO decided to file for a cassation to the Supreme Court. Within the last two weeks, the Supreme Court provided heavier punishments for the convicts.

Grace Dewi Riady, familiarly known as Grace Tahir, daughter of Mayapada’s patron, Dato Sri Tahir, and the leader of Mayapada Hospital, was examined as one of the witnesses in the case of alleged money laundering which ensnared a former Echelon III official at the Ministry of Finance, Rafael Alun Trisambodo. The news has attracted public attention. Of course, many parties used this opportunity to sneer at this conglomerate, although it is not known for certain whether Grace is directly related to Rafael.