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In this edition, Gibran says so long to Solo. Just like his father, Gibran all but started his political career as mayor of the major Central Java city. And we all know where he’s going next.

Plus, vehicle insurance is going to be mandatory in 2025, and there’s been a spine-chilling (supposed) video evidence of a pocong. Enjoy reading!

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics

Gibran Steps Down

Gibran Rakabuming yesterday resigned as mayor of Solo and left the office he had occupied since February 2021. Today, he bid farewell to civil servants who worked under him, as well as hundreds of adoring supporters who wished him well as he moves on to bigger (and hopefully better) things.

President Joko Widodo’s eldest, now 36, is set to be sworn in as Indonesia’s vice president on October 20. Gibran will play the supporting role to President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

In the meantime, Gibran has said that he is moving back to Jakarta with his wife and two young children, but has not revealed if he has any immediate political plans other than preparing for the vice presidency.

The million dollar question: why resign now and not during the presidential campaign? One Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician suggested that Gibran might as well have strapped in and gotten as much work done as possible until his inauguration day.

Whether an official steps down or not prior to running for office is a matter of ethics rather than regulation. Prabowo, for one, has not indicated that he will step down as defense minister anytime soon. And there’s no reason for him to do so, a Democratic lawmaker argued, citing a precedent set by President Jokowi when he did not immediately step down as Jakarta governor after winning the presidential election.

In Other News

• President Jokowi touched down in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and was welcomed by UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Though the official word is Jokowi is strengthening ties between the two nations with this visit, it’s likely that the Indonesian president is also encouraging investments from the UAE for the development of the new capital city Nusantara.

• Prabowo, in his capacity as Gerindra chairman, has assigned his nephew, Budisatrio Djiwandono, to lead the party’s executive board in East Kalimantan. The appointment is widely seen as a strategic move by the president-elect to keep those he trusts near him when he leads the country from Nusantara, which is located in the province.

• The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) today carried out a search at the office of Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu, more popularly known as Mbak Ita. The search was connected to an ongoing graft investigation, details of which have not been reported. KPK also searched several other locations in the Central Java capital.

• KPK also confiscated three plots of land in Cikarang, West Java worth IDR 2 billion, owned by the child of former North Maluku Governor Abdul Gani Kasuba. This action is part of a broader investigation into alleged corruption and asset misappropriation involving the former governor.

• An ambulance driver in Sintang, West Kalimantan dropped off a deceased infant and his family at a gas station after they weren’t able to pay for gas that was apparently not covered by the service. The incident went viral and caught the attention of West Kalimantan Governor Harisson, who called for the driver to be fired if the incident was proven to be an act of extortion.

Business/Economy

• A coalition of civil society organizations voiced opposition to the proposed revision of the Indonesian Military Law (UU TNI), which would lift the ban on military personnel engaging in business activities. They argued that allowing soldiers to participate in business could lead to conflicts of interest, corruption, and a diversion from their primary duty of national defense.

• Starting January 2025, all cars and motorcycles in Indonesia will be required to have third party liability insurance coverage. Vehicle insurance is currently not mandatory in the country, but a law passed in 2023 and coming into effect in 2025 is making third party liability insurance compulsory, aiming to provide better financial protection for vehicle owners and ensure compensation in case of accidents or damages.

• Throughout 2024, 12 banks in Indonesia have gone under, prompting the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to introduce new regulations for Rural Banks (BPR). These regulations mandate better management of rural banks and more transparency during audits. 

Everything Else

• Videos claiming to capture ghosts or spirits (penampakan, as they say in Indonesian) is nothing out of the ordinary. What sets one video from Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta apart is the fact that the police are actually investigating whether or not it depicts a supernatural phenomenon or if there’s a rational explanation for it. The clip, taken from a CCTV camera, depicts what looks like a pocong hitching a ride on the back of a motorbike while the driver and passenger appeared to be oblivious throughout. Watch above if you dare.

• Gojek has terminated its working partnership with a delivery driver who went viral for insulting and making threats against influencer Awkarin. As seen in a chat between them that Awkarin shared on her socials, the driver was angry that she was slow to respond to his queries about her order, and that she didn’t tip him over his abrasive attitude.

• People are wondering where the children of an elderly couple in are after their decomposing bodies were found in their home in Bogor, West Java yesterday. Neighbors broke into the house after they smelled a foul odor coming out from the house, only to make the morbid discovery. Police say they lived alone and that their children rarely visited them.