Who Is Tan Paulin, The Person Who Is Called By Democratic Politicians As The 'Queen Of Coal'?

Illustration. (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Once dubbed the Queen of Coal who managed to produce 1 million tons of coal per month and was suspected by a member of Commission VII DPR RI M Nasir to sell stolen coal, who exactly is Tan Paulin?

Tan Paulin is the wife of Irwantono Sentosa, owner of PT Sentosa Laju Energy, based in Surabaya.

The name Tan Paulin had emerged in 2016 related to a fraud case involving him. Tan Paulin had been named a suspect in an investment fraud case.

The case began when Commissioner of PT Energy Lestari Sentosa (ELS), Eunike Lenny Silas reported H Abidinsyah, Donny Sugiarto and Tan Paulin as mining mafia. This case ended after Donny Sugiarto was caught and Tan Paulin escaped the law even though he had been reported to the National Police Headquarters.

At the end of 2021, the name Tan Paulin reappeared after closing the road access to the PT Batuah Energi Prima (BEP) mine site. The order to close the road access to the mine site was due to Tan Paulin having business problems with the former director of PT BEP.

Through his attorney, Tan Paulin denied the accusations and revealed that he did not own a mine but was only a trader.

As for M Nasir's accusation that Tan Paulin was the Queen of Coal, Tan Paulin denied the accusation. Again, through his lawyer, Tan Paulin categorically refused if he had committed an illegal act by selling stolen coal.

"Due to this news, our client feels disadvantaged because the news is far from the truth and is not based on existing facts," said Tan Paulin's lawyer, Yudistira in a memo dated January 14 last.

According to Yudistira, Tan Paulin has carried out business activities in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the government.

"That the real legal fact is that our client is an entrepreneur who buys coal from mines holding official IUP-OP and all coal that our clients trade has gone through the verification process of the truth of the origin of goods and taxes that have been stated in the LHV (Report) Verification results) from the appointed surveyor," he said.