If Jonathan Swift had written a satire on corruption in Indonesia, he couldn't have imagined a more farcical plot than that involving Gayus Tambunan. In just eight months, the detained civil servant, a mid-level tax official, managed to bribe his way out of prison 68 times, fly to at least three other countries in a dubious disguise and even bribe his way out of bribery charges.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Bank Indonesia Governor Darmin Nasution said the decision made by Moody's to increase Indonesia’s debt rank was an acknowledgment from the international community that Indonesia’s fundamentals were improving. Darmin said Moody’s had good reason to increase Indonesia’s rank because the country had strong domestic demand, accurate structural reform and rising direct investment.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Home Affairs Ministry has found that 329 regional regulations were problematic throughout 2010. The ministry later asked the regional governments to revise or annul the relevant regulations. According to Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, problems were found after a study was conducted on more than 3,000 regulations. “We found 329 problems with the regional regulations,” he said in Jakarta yesterday.

Sasol Ltd., the largest producer of motor fuels from coal, abandoned a plan to build a $10 billion coal-to-fuels plant in Indonesia to focus on opportunities in the gas-to-fuels industry. The South African company wants to accelerate talks with the Indonesian government about other gas-to-liquids projects, Sasol said in an email on Tuesday. The Johannesburg-based firm will not pursue other coal-to-fuels projects after the current ones in China and India, it said.

The property sector in Greater Jakarta is expected to show positive growth this year, although lower than it managed last year, on the back of positive macroeconomic conditions and the global economic recovery. Utami Prastiana, head of research and consultancy of property consultant firm Procon Indah, said the supply side of the Greater Jakarta property sector is expected to grow by 4 percent to 5 percent this year, lower than the 5 percent to 8 percent growth recorded last year.

Domestic and foreign investment in Indonesia is forecast to increase to Rp 230 trillion ($25.5 billion) this year, higher than the Rp 200 trillion of realzed investment last year, an Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) executive said.