Direct at the Court, Ahok: I Resign because I'm Different from Jokowi

JAKARTA - Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok revealed the reason for his resignation from the position of chief commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero), namely because of political differences with President Joko Widodo.

Ahok made the confession when he gave testimony as a witness in the trial of the alleged corruption of Pertamina's crude oil management period 2018-2023, which was held on Tuesday, January 27.

Initially, the public prosecutor (JPU) questioned the background of Ahok's decision to resign from Pertamina in early 2024. "Well, I left because of political reasons, a different view from President Jokowi," said Ahok in front of the prosecutor and the panel of judges.

Ahok explained that he should have resigned at the end of December 2023 after the preparation of the 2024 Company Work Plan and Budget (RKAP) was completed. However, the implementation of the RKAP was delayed so that his resignation was only realized later.

"It just so happens that the RKAP is late. However, I have left a note in the RKAP that the new procurement system must provide efficiency of up to 4 percent, and all the directors have signed it," explained Ahok.

Ahok's presence in this trial is a re-summoning by the JPU. Previously, Ahok had been prevented from attending because he was abroad. He only returned to Indonesia on January 26, 2026, in accordance with the official notification that had been submitted to the prosecutor and the panel of judges.

The trial is a continuation of a series of witness examinations in the case of alleged corruption in Pertamina's oil governance which has been ongoing since the beginning of January 2026. Previously, the JPU had also presented a number of important witnesses, including Nicke Widyawati, former chief director of PT Pertamina for the period 2018-2024.