Corruption Journal: On the Jambi and Aceh Graft Case
It has been over six months since the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a Sting Operation in Jambi but the investigation continues. Meanwhile, the KPK is also continuing to investigate graft in Aceh. They recently announced that they have found more evidence.
A Message from Mandalika?
On October 20, 2017, on the third anniversary of his presidency, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), the second most populous province in the eastern part of the country. There, President Jokowi met with the NTB Governor TGH Muhammad Zainul Majdi a.k.a Tuan Guru Bajang (TGB). The President recorded a video to promote the Mandalika special economic & tourism zone that he had just inaugurated with TGB. Jokowi posted the said video into all of his personal social media accounts on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. That led many to wonder if TGB was in Jokowi’s list of possible running-mates.
Bracing for Impact
Anyone thinking that the 2019 presidential race is already Jokowi’s is delusional. Results from the local elections we’ve just had show warning signs. The most obvious of which is the lacklustre performance of Jokowi’s primary political vehicle PDIP. Candidates associated with Jokowi’s rival Prabowo Subianto (and his Gerindra), on the other hand, surprised many for performing better than expected in the polls. Combine that with the fact that we will soon experience a 7-month long presidential campaign period should make us err on the side of caution.
Dynamic Permutations for 2019 Race
We have one month left to know those competing in next year’s election for president and vice president. Other than discussions surrounding likely running mate for incumbent president Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo, there are interesting permutations of likely contenders.
Jokowi & Megawati
Rumours were swirling around regarding relationship between President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo and PDI-P leader Megawati Soekarnoputri aftermath of the simultaneous regional elections. Some suggested a difficult relationship, wherein Megawati reportedly blamed Jokowi for the failure of PDI-P candidates in East Java and North Sumatra elections.
Corruption Journal
Last week the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court read their verdict for the disgraced Regent of Kutai Kertanegara (Kukar) Rita Widyasari. Rita was deemed guilty of receiving various kinds of bribery during her tenure as regent. Besides Rita, her...
The BLBI Graft Case
The Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court continued the trial of Syafruddin “Syaf” Arsyad Temenggung, the former chairman of the Indonesia’s Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), who is now a defendant in the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) graft case. In the latest hearing, the court listened to accounts of important witnesses including Rizal Ramli and Kwik Kian Gie.
Regional Elections Update: KPU’s Official Counting
The General Election Commission (KPU) has announced the final result of the their official calculation of the votes on 111 out of the 171 regions that participated in the 2018 simultaneous regional elections. Among the said 111 regions, are the official outcome of gubernatorial election in 6 provinces, including Central Java and Bali.
More on the Sting Operation in Aceh
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named the Governor of Aceh Irwandi Yusuf a suspect of graft following the Sting Operation they conducted two days ago. The KPK also named three other suspects in the case. What’s important in this case is that the KPK uncovered the corrupt practice that has been feared for so long: the misuse of Aceh’s special autonomy funds.
Claim War in Papua Election
The Papua gubernatorial election is not over yet. The Paniai regency has not yet opened their voting stations due to security concern. Two groups of political parties backing the two pairs competing in the race, however, have already began claiming victory. The State Palace tried to calm the situation down by asking the two camps to refrain from claiming and to wait for the official announcement from the General Election Commission (KPU) instead.