Corruption in Indonesia: Rudi Rubiandini Guilty of Receiving Bribes
On Tuesday (29/04), Jakarta's Anti-Corruption Court sentenced Rudi Rubiandini, former Head of Indonesia's oil & gas regulator SKK Migas, to seven years in prison for money laundering and accepting bribes from Singapore-based Kernel Oil Pte Ltd and Indonesia-based Kaltim Parna Industri. These bribes were given in exchange for securing a win in an oil tender. In addition, Rubiandini was imposed a fine of IDR 200 million (or another three months in prison). Rubiandini was reported to not file an appeal to the court's verdict.
The court's verdict (seven years) was lower than the prosecutors' demand for 10 years imprisonment as well as a fine of IDR 250 million. Rubiandini had been arrested on Tuesday 13 August 2013 by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Court Judge Purwono Edi Santosa found Rubiandini guilty of receiving roughly USD $1 million from Widodo Ratanachaitong, President Director of Kernel Oil, and Fossus Energy, through Kernel's Operational Director, Simon Gunawan Tanjaya.
Rubiandini's golf coach Deviardi, who delivered the bribe money to Rubiandini, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison in a separate case as he was also found guilty of money laundering.
Rubiandini was installed as head of the SKK Migas on 16 January 2013. Previously, Rubiandini, an oil and gas expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology, was Deputy of the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister.
The Rubiandini case is yet another example of widespread corruption among the higher political and business circles of Indonesia. The continued emergence of such scandals seriously undermines people's confidence in Indonesian politics.