Indonesia Names Seven Suspects in Pertamina Corruption Probe

JAKARTA, investortrust.id - Indonesia’s top prosecutors designate seven suspects, including a senior executive from the state-owned oil giant PT Pertamina, in a sweeping corruption investigation tied to crude oil and refinery product mismanagement.

Unveiled on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, the case spans multiple subsidiaries and private contractors, spotlighting alleged irregularities from 2018 to 2023. As legal scrutiny intensifies, Pertamina assures business leaders and the public that energy distribution across the nation remains seamless, reinforcing its critical role in powering Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

The Attorney General’s Office, identified Riva Siahaan, president director of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, as a key figure among the accused.

Vice President Corporate Communication at PT Pertamina (Persero), Fadjar Djoko Santoso, responded swiftly, emphasizing operational stability. “Pertamina guarantees that energy distribution services to the public remain our utmost priority and continue as normal,” he said in a written statement on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

The company pledged full cooperation with authorities while upholding its commitment to transparency and good corporate governance.

The investigation zeroed in on seven individuals linked to Pertamina’s subholdings and contractor partnerships. Director of Investigations Abdul Qohar, from the Special Crimes Division of the Attorney General’s Office, announced the suspects late Monday.

“Based on witness testimonies, expert statements, and legally seized documents, our team identified seven suspects,” he told reporters at the agency’s Jakarta headquarters, as quoted by state news agency Antara.

Alongside Siahaan, the list included SDS, director of feedstock and product optimization at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI), a refining unit; YF, an executive at PT Pertamina International Shipping; and AP, vice president of feedstock management at KPI.

Private sector players faced scrutiny as well: MKAR, beneficial owner of PT Navigator Khatulistiwa; DW, a commissioner at both PT Navigator Khatulistiwa and PT Jenggala Maritim; and GRJ, who serves as a commissioner at PT Jenggala Maritim and president director of PT Orbit Terminal Merak. Authorities detained all seven for 20 days starting Monday night, signaling a robust push to unravel the case.

The probe stemmed from a 2018 regulation by Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, requiring PT Pertamina to prioritize domestically produced oil for local needs.

Head of the Attorney General’s Public Information Center Harli Siregar detailed the framework, noting that private contractors under production-sharing contracts, known as KKKS, had to offer their crude to Pertamina first. Rejections by Pertamina facilitated export approvals, but investigators alleged that PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional dodged these domestic commitments, raising suspicion.

Further complicating matters, from 2018 to 2023, Indonesia exported state-owned crude and condensate amid reduced refinery capacity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, Pertamina simultaneously imported crude to meet refinery demands, a paradox now under investigation. Exact financial losses remain undisclosed, though the case underscores governance challenges within Indonesia’s energy sector.

Pertamina, a linchpin of the nation’s economy with annual revenues topping $80 billion, positioned itself as a cooperative partner in the legal process. Fadjar expressed hope for a smooth investigation that respects the presumption of innocence. Analysts view the probe as a litmus test for state-owned enterprises, which are pivotal to Indonesia’s ambitions for energy self-reliance.