The wRap Indonesia: Feb. 26, 2015

JAKARTA, Indonesia – In today’s wrap of stories from Indonesia, statements from the anti-graft chairman that have activists worried and Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s 100th day in office. 

1. New KPK leader seen to be going soft on corruption

Acting Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Taufiqurrahman Ruki said the powerful agency would now only prosecute state officials if they “could not be prevented from corruption.” “The President says law enforcement must support government programs, not arouse the fear of prosecution among regional leaders looking to spend their budgets on development,” he said on Wednesday, February 25, after a meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, the National Police deputy chief, and the attorney general. Ruki said pursuing corruption cases less aggressively would “help government programs keep running,” according to the Jakarta Post. Jokowi appointed Ruki in the wake of the KPK-National Police conflict that began when the anti-graft agency named a top cop a corruption suspect.

2. On Ahok’s 100th day as Jakarta governor, impeachment threat looms

On Thursday, February 26, Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama marks his 100th day in office. It’s also the day the Jakarta city council (DPRD) is holding a plenary session to discuss the use of its inquiry rights against the governor, the first step to an impeachment. The governor and the city council are at odds over the provincial budget for 2015, which still hasn’t been approved. DPRD is accusing Ahok of violating the law when he submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs a version of the budget different from what was agreed with the council. Ahok, however, says he’s unfazed.

3. Thousands of fishermen protest Susi’s ban on trawling

Sekitr 5000 org lakukan unjuk rasa di dpn kementerian kelautan dan Perikanan, dlm pengamanan Polri via @TMCPoldaMetro pic.twitter.com/bqVTQ2EWNi

— Rappler Indonesia (@RapplerID) February 26, 2015

Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti may be one of the most popular cabinet members, but a lot of fishermen aren’t very happy with her now. Thousands of fishermen protested on Thursday in front of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries office in Jakarta over the January regulation Susi signed banning the use of trawls for large fishing vessels. One fisherman from Central Java told CNN Indonesia his productivity has declined 50 percent. Similar protests were held in Surabaya, with protesters asking Jokowi to fire Susi, according to Tribunnews.com.

4. Lippo Group invests $500 million in online store MatahariMall

Lippo Group, which owns the largest retail chain in Indonesia, is taking its business online through MatahariMall. It will be the largest ecommerce site in the nation and become “the Alibaba of Indonesia,” the company said during the announcement on Wednesday. The investment dwarfs the $100 million Tokopedia received from SoftBank and Sequoia Capital. MatahariMall will also be in direct competition with Rocket Internet’s ecommerce giant Lazada Indonesia. Read the full story from TechinAsia.

5. Bank Indonesia says there’s no target level for rupiah

Despite the rupiah’s continued weakening, Indonesia’s central bank said on Thursday, February 26, it does not have a a target level for the currency but will always be in the foreign exchange market for measured intervention. The rupiah fell to a 10-week low on Tuesday and is down nearly 4% so far this year, a trend which central bank spokesman Peter Jacobs attributed to the strengthening US dollar and not due to Bank Indonesia’s surprise decision last week to cut its benchmark interest rate. Read the full story from Reuters. – Rappler.com