Regional Elections Update: South Sumatera
A local polling agency in South Sumatera have released the result of their latest survey. They found the incumbent Ishak Mekki and his running mate Yudha Pratomo at the top of the poll, though they lead only by a thin margin over their three competitors.
West Java: An Anomaly
All poling agencies have shown Deddy Mizwar-Dedi Mulyadi and/or Ridwan Kamil-Uu Ruzhanul Ulum as the leaders in the West Java Gubernatorial Race. The other two pairs were in the bottom third and fourth respectively. That being said, West Java’s 2008 and 2013 gubernatorial elections might have a few wisdoms for both Deddy Mizwar-Dedi Mulyadi and Ridwan Kamil-Uu Ruzhanul Ulum to consider. They should not be too complacent.
Regional Election Update: Polling War in South Sulawesi
Indikator Politik Indonesia and Indobarometer have published the result of their survey on the South Sulawesi gubernatorial race. Nurdin Abdullah and his running mate Andi Sulaiman emerge as leaders in their surveys.
Terror Attacks: Security Measures
Following the wave of terror attacks and bombings, the Government are intensifying their effort in detecting and countering terrorism. Protection of vital national objects, and for the upcoming continental multi-sport event Asian Games, has been ramped up. The Government are also reactivating the military Joint Special Operation Command (Koopsusgab) tasked with countering terrorism.
The Sting Operation in Bengkulu
It has been a while since the last time we heard of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)’s move in Bengkulu. On May 16, 2018, the KPK announced they had named several suspects as a result of a Sting Operation conducted a day before. Among the suspects are the Regent of South Bengkulu Dirwan Mahmud and his wife one Hendrati. This is the fifth Sting Operation in Bengkulu within the last two years, Dirwan and Hendrati also made it to the list of spouses caught in corruption.
Corruption Journal
The Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court recently listened to the indictment for the Regent of Central Lampung one Mustafa, who was arrested for bribing members of the region’s DPRD earlier this year. At the same day, the court listened to the prosecutors’ demands for one Sigit Yugoharto, an auditor of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) who received bribes from one Setia Budi, a General Manager of PT Jasa Marga (Persero) Tbk (Purbaleunyi). The punishment demanded for Sigit is four times heavier than the punishment demanded for Setia Budi.
The 2019 Race: Prabowo’s Running Mate Talks
The Secretary General of the Gerindra Party Ahmad Muzani, who is also a deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), revealed that only five names were left to consider as potential running mates for Prabowo Subianto in the 2019 presidential race. Who are they?
SBY, Jokowi & 2019 Race
Yesterday (May 15), the sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who is also the chairman of the Democratic Party, responded to the statement of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on fuel subsidy policy in the former’s term as President of the Republic. Most see it as a new chapter of tension between SBY and Jokowi. The question is whether this new tension will disturb their effort into forming an alliance for the 2019 presidential race.
Corruption Journal: Martin Tome’s Case and Hulu Sungai Tengah Graft Case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named the former Regent of Sabu Raijua in East Nusa Tenggara Marthen Dira Tome a suspect in the corruption of education funds, a crime that allegedly happened in November 2016. He was found guilty last year but the verdict given by the corruption court at the Surabaya District Court were too light if compared to the punishment demanded by the rposecutors. The KPK decided to keep fighting and in the stage of Cassation the Supreme Court decided to aggravate Marthen’s sentences. Meanwhile, the trial of the President Director of PT Menara Agung Pustaka one Donny Witono, who was arrested after giving bribes to the former Regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST) Abdul Latif, will end soon as the prosecutors have read their demands.
Revisiting the Amendment of the Law on Counter-terrorism
This has been a very turbulent week for most Indonesians. Three families that are supposedly connected to the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) were involved in a series of bombings in East Java. The attacks happened just days after the inmates of the prison situated in the Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) assaulted the guards and took over the control of the prison. In the wake of the attacks, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo gave the House of Representatives (DPR) an ultimatum: pass the long-delayed bill on the amendment of the Law on Counter-terrorism by June 2018, or else the Government will issue a Government in Lieu of Law (Perppu). Soon after the President’s remarks, the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto said that the Government and the DPR had agreed to promulgate the bill by this month. That sounds easy. So what has been the cause of the delay?