KPK then named two other suspects: West Java Regional Secretary Iwa Karniwa and PT Lippo Cikarang Tbk President Director Bartholomew Toto. KPK Deputy Chairman Saut Situmorang said Iwa was suspected of asking for Rp 1 billion from Neneng Rahmi Nurlaili to take care of the 2017 Bekasi Regency’s detailed spatial planning (RDTR) bylaw.

Initially, Neneng Rahmi received some money in 2017, which was then given to several parties to expedite the RDTR discussion. After the submission of the draft bylaw, the Secretary of the PUPR Agency invited her to meet with the leaders of Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD). “In the meeting, the PUPR Agency Secretary said DPRD leaders are asking for money to take care of the matter,” Saut said in his office, Jakarta, Monday (7/29).

After being approved by the DPRD, the draft bylaw was sent to the West Java Provincial Government for discussion. However, the working group (Pokja) of the Regional Spatial Planning Coordinating Board (BKPRD) did not immediately discuss the draft bylaw. Neneng Rahmi received information that Iwa Karniwa requested Rp 1 billion to expedite the draft bylaw discussion at the provincial government level.

The request was then forwarded to one of Lippo Cikarang’s employees. Not long after, Lippo handed over money to Neneng Rahmi. “Around December 2017, Neneng Rahmi through an intermediary gradually handed over a total of Rp 900 million to the suspect IWK [Iwa] to take care of the RDTR in West Java Province,” Saut said.

Besides Iwa, the KPK also named Bartholomeus Toto as a suspect for the same case. He allegedly approved the handover of money at least five times to the Bekasi Regent Neneng Hasanah. The money was handed over in US dollars and rupiah in a total of Rp 10.5 billion.

After a series of arrests and trials, the KPK began to develop the case into a criminal act of corruption committed by corporation.

According to Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Researcher Donal Fariz, KPK could easily prove the existence of corporate crime in the Meikarta bribery case. He said the party that profited in this case was the corporation, namely Lippo Cikarang, not the individuals.

"Moreover, some perpetrators have also repeated the acts that benefit the same corporation," he said in Jakarta, Wednesday (7/31).

KPK Revealing Corporate Crime after 16 Years

Since its founding in 2002, the KPK for the first time proved corporate crime last year. At that time, the antigraft body found evidence that PT Duta Graha Indah (DGI), now called PT Nusa Konstruksi Enjineering (NKE), committed a criminal act of corruption. The company was sentenced to pay a fine of Rp 700 million and a replacement money of Rp 85.49 billion.

In addition, the KPK was also following up on four corporations that have been named as suspects. PT Nindya Karya and PT Tuah Sejati were involved in a case of alleged corruption in the construction of a loading dock. PT Tradha was involved in a case of alleged money laundering (TPPU). PT Merial Esa, a company owned by the husband of a celebrity Ineke Koesherawati, was involved in the monitoring satellite bribery case at the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla).

KPK stated that corporate punishment is an important matter. Moreover, 80 percent of corruption in Indonesia involves companies or entrepreneurs as the culprit. In corruption, there is a conspiracy between the authorities and entrepreneurs.

Going forward, the KPK is committed to be more intensive in exposing corruption acts committed by corporations. According to Saut, so far the antigraft body only applies corporate criminal law after the case enters the final stages of the investigation. Now, the KPK plans to implement it from the early stages of handling such cases.

“So we have to start counting from the beginning. We want to use that strategy,” he said last March. The initial step will begin with strengthening the investigation team.