Courts Alter Election Law a Second Time for a Second Son of Jokowi
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has said it will honor a recent Supreme Court ruling that alters the age requirements for candidates in the November regional elections, a move that has opened the door for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s youngest son, Kaesang Pangerap, to run for governor. The Supreme Court decision in late May ordered election rules to be revised to require gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates to be 30 years old at the time of their inauguration, rather than at the time their candidacy is made official. The ruling paves the way for Kaesang, who does not turn 30 until December of this year, to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Gibran Rakabuming Raka , mayor of Surakarta, in running for regional office.
Ex-Pertamina Sentenced for Corruption
Former CEO of Pertamina, Galaila Karen Kardinah, also known as Karen Agustiawan, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for corruption in the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The panel of judges declared that Karen was legally and convincingly found guilty of committing acts of corruption. The sentence is lower than the 11-year prison term demanded by the public prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Karen Agustiawan was indicted for causing state losses amounting to $113.84 million due to alleged corruption in LNG procurement at Pertamina between 2011 and 2014. The former Pertamina CEO was charged with enriching herself by Rp 1.09 billion and $104,016, or about Rp 1.62 billion, as well as benefiting the US company CCL by $113.84 million. Additionally, Karen was accused of approving the development of gas business at several potential LNG refineries in the US without clear procurement guidelines, granting only principal permits without proper justification, technical and economic analysis, or risk analysis. (Jakarta Globe)
