Case Of Extortion Of IDR 5 Trillion: Chairman Of The Cilegon Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Remains Active Even Though He Is Convicted Of Guilty

Two suspects were presented during the disclosure of a criminal case of extortion at the Banten Police Headquarters, Serang City, Banten, Wednesday (11/6/2025). (ANTARA)

SERANG - Chairman of the Cilegon City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) M. Salim is still listed as an active chairman even though he has been convicted by the Serang District Court (PN) in the case of alleged thuggery and extortion practices worth up to IDR 5 trillion in the Chandra Asri Alkali (CAA) factory construction project.

In the decision of the Serang District Court, Salim and four other leaders of organizations, namely Deputy Chairman of the Cilegon Isbatullah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Deputy Chairperson of the Ismatullah Industry, Chairman of HNSI as well as Chairman of the Banten BPMMP Rufaji Jahuri, and Zul Basit, were each sentenced to 1.5 years in prison.

Chairman of the Organization, Membership, and Tata Laksana Banten Chamber of Commerce and Industry Agus Wisas said Salim's position was still attached because the decision had not yet had permanent legal force. He emphasized that the replacement could be made only after inkrah.

"When the inkrah is there, a PJ (Deputy Implementer) will be formed according to the AD / ART. If Inkrah punishes, it will be fired," Agus said, quoted by Antara, Thursday, November 20.

He explained that the executors of the position would be elected from the deputy chairmen and if there was no agreement, the Banten Chamber of Commerce and Industry would appoint a caretaker.

Agus admitted that the legal issues of the leaders disrupted the activities of Kadin Cilegon. According to him, organizational services are not running optimally and require quick decisions to return to normal.

"Services are a bit disrupted, to be honest. Yesterday, what happened was to fire rotating, the deputy chairmen rotated, even though they did not solve many problems," he said.

In addition to the polemic in Cilegon, Agus said that the Banten Chamber of Commerce and Industry had removed 17 provincial level administrators. The removal was carried out on administrators who did not extend the Membership Card (KTA) and who were deemed to have committed ethical violations.

"Now the rules, those who do not have a KTA in the current year are dismissed as administrators. I am not indiscriminate, even my own family has been dismissed," he said.

Some of the 17 administrators did not extend the KTA due to busyness or health conditions. Others were dismissed because they were considered detrimental to the organization.

"We have withdrawn the KTA because it behaves detrimental to the organization, for example coming to factories or agencies and acting like NGOs. We fire it. We want Kadin to remain honorable," said Agus.