Golkar asks to respect the legal process of the coal mining PLTU corruption case

JAKARTA - Golkar Party Secretary for Economic Policy, Abdul Rahman Farisi, asked all parties to respect the legal process in handling the alleged corruption in the distribution of coal for steam power plants (PLTU).

"We ask all parties to respect the ongoing legal process and not sway public opinion with accusations that have not been supported by legal facts," said Abdul Rahman Farisi in Jakarta, Monday.

"Let law enforcement officers work based on evidence. Don't lead opinions with accusations that are not accompanied by facts," he said.

He also reminded that political differences should not be brought into the law enforcement process because they have the potential to interfere with the objectivity and public trust in law enforcement institutions.

"Don't let the legal process be used as a political stage to vent frustrations. What the community needs is professional, independent, and free from political interests," he said.

The statement was made by Abdul Rahman in response to the statement by the Chairman of the PDI Perjuangan DPP Deddy Sitorus who called the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia as the first party to be investigated in the alleged corruption case of coal distribution for PLTU.

According to Abdul Rahman, the accusation was not based on the chronology of the case being investigated by law enforcement.

"The alleged incident that is being investigated has occurred since 2018, while Mr. Bahlil has only served as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in 2024. Therefore, it is very inappropriate if he is immediately made the target of accusations without seeing the chronology of the case," he said.

He assessed that the statement was more appropriate to be addressed by respecting the ongoing legal process and handing over the handling of the case to law enforcement based on the evidence possessed.

According to him, the law enforcement process will be more effective if all parties prioritize the principle of presumption of innocence and do not build opinions that can affect public confidence in law enforcement institutions.