The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 3, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A cabinet minister who could be declared a graft suspect soon and movements among members of losing Prabowo Subianto’s coalition lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia the past day. 

1. Antigraft agency hints energy minister could be named suspect soon 

Energy Minister Jero Wacik could be the third minister from the current cabinet to be named suspect by Indonesia’s powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). KPK Chief Abraham Samad told reporters on Tuesday, September 2, they had found sufficient evidence to implicate Jero – whom he described as having a “lust for lavish living” – in several extortion cases. The case stems from the 2013 arrest of the upstream oil and gas regulator SKKMigas chief for taking bribes, which led to the arrest of the energy ministry’s secretary general Waryono Karno, who is then believed to have misused funds on orders from Jero. Read the full story from Tempo.co and the Jakarta Globe.

2. Losing VP candidate meets with Jokowi; no word from Prabowo 

Hatta Rajasa, who ran as vice president with Prabowo Subianto, acknowledged on Tuesday he met with Joko “Jokowi” Widodo the previous night and said he was ready to work with the president-elect in building a better Indonesia. It was the first meeting between the two since the presidential election race began, this Rappler report says, but insiders say no coalition deal has been finalized for their respective political parties. Hatta’s statement came after he and other members of Prabowo’s coalition met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday morning. The outgoing president noted the coalition’s recognition of Jokowi’s victory and important role as the opposition, Beritasatu reported, but the former general was a no show.

3.  Busway pervert caught, stripped, and displayed on bus shelter

What do irate passengers and a busway officer do when they catch a pervert harassing women in a crowded bus? They strip him down to his underpants, hang a sign around his neck saying “Sexual Harassment Perpetrator!!!” and display him in the bus shelter for everyone to see. This was what happened on Monday, September 1, at the Pondok Indah bus shelter in Jakarta, Detik.com reported. Transjakarta director Antonius NS Kosasih said on Tuesday that while he understood why people did it, he didn’t agree it was an appropriate policy response to the sexual harassment problem. Instead, he said they’re planning to operate women-only buses, Kompas.com reported. 

4. Jokowi’s transition team looks into revising Yudhoyono’s economic masterplan

Yudhoyono’s ambitious Masterplan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development (MP3EI) may have to be revised because of budget constraints, the deputy chief of the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla transition team, Andi Widjajanto, said on Tuesday after a consultation meeting with Vice President Boediono. While some of the MP3EI programs were similar to their plans, Andi said several projects had to be reconsidered as well for environmental impacts. The 15-year MP3EI, set to be completed by 2025, has so far produced 382 projects worth IDR854 trillion ($71.2 billion). Read the full story on Tempo.co.

5. Trial ‘likely’ for French journalists held in Papua

Despite international calls to release them, French journalists Thomas Dandois, 40, and Valentine Bourrat, 29, could remain detained in Papua much longer. Their lawyer said on Tuesday it was likely the pair would go on trial for violating immigration laws as they had tourist, not journalist, visas when they were arrested while reporting on the separatist movement in the restive region. Police said previously they could be jailed for up to 5 years if found guilty. Read the full story on Rappler.