Political Corruption in Indonesia: the Case of Anas Urbaningrum
Former Chairman of the Democratic Party (Partai Demokrat, PD) Anas Urbaningrum could face 15 years in prison and a fine of IDR 500 million (USD $42,372), or an additional five-month imprisonment, as the Indonesian prosecution finds him guilty of accepting bribes related to several government projects that are (partly) financed by the state budget. In addition to the above, the prosecutor also demands that Urbaningrum compensates the state by reimbursing the IDR 94.2 billion and USD $5.3 million he obtained unlawfully.
Furthermore, the prosecution demands that Urbaningrum loses the right to vote or be chosen by the people in public positions as well as the revocation of the mining permit (IUP) of Arina Kotajaya (in East Kalimantan), reportedly owned by Urbaningrum.
Urbaningrum is named a suspect in corruption and money laundering cases (violation of the the country’s Corruption Law and Money Laundering Law). At the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Thursday (11/09), prosecutor Yudi Kristiana accused Urbaningrum of accepting luxury vehicles and bribes for rigging tenders. These bribes he partly used to fund his campaign to become the Chairman of the PD, incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s political vehicle. As Urbaningrum used IDR 20 billion - of which the origin remains unknown - to purchase land and houses (in the period 2010 to 2013), he is also accused of money laundering.
The former PD Chairman is allegedly guilty of taking bribes related to the construction of the Hambalang sports complex in South Sumatra. Former PD Treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, who was convicted to four years and 10 months in jail for accepting IDR 4.6 billion in relation to this project, claimed that Urbaningrum accepted an IDR 2 billion bribe from state-owned Adhi Karya (which was awarded the tender for construction of the USD $2.5 trillion sports complex). This project was supervised by Indonesia’s Youth and Sports Ministry and implied the end of the political career of former Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng, who was sentenced to four years imprisonment for accepting bribes in order to manipulate the procurement and budgeting process of the Hambalang sports complex.
Urbaningrum rejects these accusations.
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