Ahok Emphasizes There is No BPK Finding Regarding the Rental of a Ship during the Pertamina Commander's Appointment

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok)/ANTARA

JAKARTA - The former Commissioner-General (Komut) of PT Pertamina (Persero) for the period 2019-2024, Basuki Tjahja Purnama alias Ahok, confirmed that he had never heard of the findings from the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) regarding procurement system irregularities, including in the issue of ship rental.

This was conveyed by Ahok when he was a witness to the trial of alleged corruption in the management of crude oil and Pertamina refinery products at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) in Jakarta today, Tuesday, January 27. He said that during his tenure, there was never a report.

"We never got it, sir. No, sir. In my time there was none (reports, ed)," said Ahok when he was investigated by the supervisory function of the Commissioner of PT Pertamina by the public prosecutor (JPU) in the trial.

The prosecutor then asked more specifically about the BPK's findings regarding the procurement that won one of the deputies who was not on the selection list. Hearing this, Ahok admitted that reports of this kind never reached his desk or other commissioners.

"Well we don't know, sir, because all the appointments are directly made by the Minister of SOEs. It's just a letter, even if we are removed, we are inaugurated, we are never invited to negotiate," he said.

Ahok then explained that the findings of the BPK or BPKP at that time, the procedure would certainly be followed up by the board of commissioners to the directors or law enforcement officers.

Moreover, Ahok emphasized that the internal supervision he built at Pertamina was very strict. He said that there was a digitization system that allowed him to monitor the movement of oil and finances in real time through his personal device.

"I can follow all the oil, money, I can follow everything. So they can't cheat us. The prosecutor can go to Pertamina to see where all the digital runs, until the ship is delayed for how many days, sir, I can suspect there is 'pee' or not," he explained.

Furthermore, Ahok alluded to the limited authority of the board of commissioners in taking action against problematic directors due to direct intervention from the SOE Ministry.

He said the decision to appoint or replace directors was often bypassed by the SOE minister without going through the board of commissioners.

"Unfortunately, the last 2 years, the decision to appoint directors or not is not through the dekom at all, it is directly bypassed by the minister of SOEs," said the former Governor of DKI Jakarta.

"That's why I always say to the Attorney General, why do I want to report to the prosecutor? Check the BUMN, check the president if necessary, why the best person is removed," he continued.

The prosecutor's indictment states that there is a state loss in ship chartering and fuel terminal (TBBM) rental activities. It is stated that this procurement enriched the defendants, Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza and Dimas Werhaspati, through PT Jenggala Maritim Nusantara (JMN) by 9.86 million US dollars and Rp. 1.07 billion.

The trial in this case also dragged a number of names as defendants. They are the Beneficial Ownership of PT Tangki Merak Kerry Adrianto Riza, as well as a number of former Pertamina officials such as Sani Dinar Saifuddin and Yoki Firnandi.