The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 1, 2014

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The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 1, 2014

AFP

A controversial parole, 7 ministers set to resign, a high-profile state firm executive named a graft suspect and more

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A controversial parole for a high-profile graft convict and the impending resignations of cabinet members lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia over the weekend. 

 

1. Antigraft activists decry parole of convicted palm oil tycoon 

Palm oil tycoon Siti Hartati Murdaya is now a free woman again, a mere 18 months after being convicted of bribing a district head in Central Sulawesi for land rights. Hartati, a well known donor to the ruling Democratic Party, was sentenced to 32 months in prison – a sentence already protested as too law when it was handed down in February 2013 – and has been in jail almost 24 months since her arrest in September 2012. Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin told Kompas.com on Sunday, August 31, that while it was an unpopular decision, the fact was that Hartati met the conditions for parole. Indonesia Corruption Watch, however, alleged that the procedure for granting parole was not followed properly, Tempo reported.   

2. Seven ministers set to resign by end September

Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono said 7 ministers will resign before the end of September in order to be sworn in as new lawmakers on October 1, local media reported. These are Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik, Transportation Minister EE Mangindaan, Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, Cooperatives and SME Minister Syarief Hasan, and the Minister for Underdeveloped Regions Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini. The new president will be sworn in on October 20. 

3. President director of state airport operator declared graft suspect

AIRPORT GRAFT. Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport is one of the airports under PT Angkasa Pura I. File photo by EPA

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has named the director of state-run airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I, Tommy Soetomo, and another businessman as suspects in an alleged case of graft involving the procurement of 5 fire trucks worth IDR63 billion ($5.38 million). AGO spokesman spokesman Tony Tri Spontana said the two had not yet been arrested but that the AGO had asked immigration impose a travel ban on them during the investigation, the Jakarta Post reported. PT Angkasa Pura I corporate secretary Farid Indra Nugraha said that the management was shocked by the prosecutors’ decision.

4. Angry local mayor creates scene in supermarket

An angry local mayor created a scene on Sunday in a supermarket that he said began operating without the necessary permits and was causing traffic congestion around it. Bima Arya Sugiarto, the mayor of Bogor, a city on the outskirts of Jakarta, used the public address system at a Giant Extra hypermart store to tell its customers to stop shopping and leave as he had ordered it shuttered immediately. Bima said the supermarket started operating even though it was told to wait for road turns around it to be fixed in order to avoid traffic congestion, which it didn’t comply with. Read the full story on Detik.com and Tribunnews.    

5. Yudhoyono inaugurates Hakka Indonesia Museum

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday inaugurated a Hakka Indonesia Museum at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta, which depicts the contributions to Indonesia of the Hakka ethnic group from China. The 3-storey museum was built at a cost of IDR36 billion (about $3 million) on a 45,000 square meter lot area. Read the full story at Tempo.co.

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