$17 Billion Tin Mining Scandal Rocks Government
Multi-billion dollar corruption scandals are unfortunatelty not uncommon in Indonesia but this one is unusual. Indonesia’s Attorney General Office (AGO) has now identified at least 16 suspects following interrogations of nearly 150 witnesses in a massive tin mining corruption scandal, potentially leading to a loss of Rp 271 trillion ($17 billion) in environmental damages due to illegal mining activities. The amount makes the scandal, potentially, the largest in Indonesia’s history. The case involves illegal mining and other activities in the island province of Belitung Bangka on concessions managed by state-owned mining firm PT Timah from 2015-2022.
A researcher at the Gadjah Mada University’s Center for Anti-Corruption Studies, Zaenur Rohman, urged investigators to reveal this case thoroughly because it is suspected that related authorities are involved. “It is impossible for a crime of this magnitude, which has been going on for so long and is happening before our eyes, to go undetected by the authorities, from licensing authorities, supervisory authorities, to law enforcement authorities,” said Zaenur.
On April 2 the AGO executed a search at the residence of businessman Harvey Moeis, the prime suspect in an illegal tin mining corruption case, located in South Jakarta on Monday evening. Ketut Sumedana, the AGO spokesperson said that the search conducted in Pakubuwono yielded a Rolls Royce, and a Mini Cooper, as well as electronic devices and documents linked to the suspect’s criminal activities. Harvey is the 16th suspect implicated by the AGO in this case, with 172 witnesses already examined by the agency. Harvey was apprehended on March 27 over allegations of acting as a middleman to facilitate illegal mining operations for Refined Bangka Tin (RBT) in areas owned by Timah. Prosecutors allege the illegal mining activities occurred between 2015 and 2022, with Harvey’s involvement beginning in 2018.
Presidential Election Court Challenge Unlikely to Succeed
Although the results of the February 14th election are being disputed by the losing candidates at the Constitutional Court, analysts who have followed the proceedings closely do not believe the case will be successful. They point out to that other than exposing ethical problems, attorneys have not yet entered direct evidence of fraud or other vote manipulations. The issue of the legality of Gibran running for Vice President was raised but counsel for Prabowo/Rakabuming team, former law minister Yusril Mahendra, argued that the court itself ruled the candidacy was legal.
Prabowo’s Unity Message
Prabowo Subianto pledges to be a president for all Indonesians after official results showed him sweeping last month’s election, even as rivals said they would mount legal challenges over the electoral process. The former special forces commander and current defense minister won the Feb. 14 contest with nearly 60 percent of votes, a resounding victory over rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo , who received about 25 percent and 16 percent, respectively, according to the election body’s official tally. It largely confirmed unofficial results released by independent pollsters last month. Prabowo, 72, thanked voters and volunteers gathered at his south Jakarta residence, saying the election went smoothly. “We invite all Indonesians to look ahead in unity because our challenges are still huge,” he said, vowing to eradicate poverty and injustice. He thanked the outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, whose tacit backing helped Prabowo win at his third attempt. He billed himself to voters and investors alike as the “continuity candidate”. On Wednesday he repeated a pledge to use as a guide Jokowi’s economic policies, which have modernized infrastructure, cut red tape, and delivered growth and prosperity in the trillion-dollar, G20 economy.