The wRap Indonesia: Feb. 3, 2015

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The police’s latest moves against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the KPK’s newest high-profile corruption suspect lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia today. 

1. Police claim KPK chairman will be named a suspect soon

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad will definitely be named a suspect, according to Insp. Gen. Budi Waseso, the head of the National Police’s criminal investigation division. “The letter to conduct an investigation (sprindik) is already out, definitely he’ll be named a suspect,” he said on Tuesday, February 3, according to MetroTVnews.com. The case Budi was referring to relates to allegations Samad violated the KPK law by meeting with officials of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in order to lobby to become President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s vice president.

But a second criminal case was filed against Samad on Monday for his alleged involvement in the falsification of documents to help obtain a passport for a 28-year-old woman named Feriyani Lim, who was also rumored to be his mistress or second wife. Read the full story in Bahasa Indonesia on Rappler.

2. KPK arrests Democratic Party member

Amid all its political troubles, the KPK arrested former Democratic Party lawmaker Sutan Bhatoegana after 9 hours of questioning on Monday evening, February 2. Sutan is accused of taking bribes during the discussion of the revised budget in 2013 for the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, a case that came out as part of the KPK’s investigation into the oil and gas graft scandal that has already taken down other officials and implicated a former minister. KPK said Sutan will be detained for 20 days at the Salemba penitentiary in Central Jakarta, but he faces up to 20 years in prison if proven guilty. Read the full story in Bahasa Indonesia on Rappler. 

3. Court on Golkar rift: We have no authority over it

4. Para kuasa hukum mengajukan eksepsi kompetensi absolut dan relatif bhw PN Jakpus tdk berwenang mengadili gugatan Agung Laksono dkk

— Yusril Ihza Mahendra (@Yusrilihza_Mhd) February 2, 2015

The Golkar Party conflict continues to remain unresolved after the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday said it didn’t have the authority to rule on which faction – the one led by Aburizal Bakrie or by Agung Laksono – was valid, according to former Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who tweeted the ruling. Agung’s camp brought the case to court, but the judges sided with the arguments given by Aburizal’s camp that the case had to be settled in a party tribunal. The outcome of the dispute in the second largest political party in the country is being closely watched for its implications on political alliances.    

4. Removing airline ticket counters to eliminate scalpers? Wrong move, says consumer foundation

If the government wants to eliminate scalpers at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, removing ticket counters there won’t solve it, the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) said on Monday. “It’s not a question of whether direct ticket counters should exist or not. Instead, it’s about discipline,” YLKI chairman Sudaryatmo told Tempo.co. State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura has announced that all ticket counters at the airport would be closed from February 15 in order to prevent ticket scalpers from operating and “improve services for airport users,” but many consumers have instead said the policy would inconvenience them.

5. Survey says: Minister Susi is the country’s favorite

It probably comes as no surprise that Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti emerged as the favorite among Jokowi’s ministers in a survey conducted by research institute Populi Center revealed over the weekend. The former businesswoman who built the country’s largest charter plane service, Susi Air, has consistently made headlines from the moment she was announced as part of Jokowi’s cabinet. While she was initially controversial for her tattoos and smoking habit, her tough stance against illegal fishing has received a 72.8% approval rating from respondents. (READ: Why is Indonesia fixated on Fisheries Minister Susi?)

Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa came in second in the survey, followed by Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan, and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani was fourth, according to CNN Indonesia. – Rappler.com