The Leadership Of Commission VI Of The DPR Is Ready To Investigate The Exclusion Of PT Jembatan Nusantara By ASDP

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives Muhammad Haikal stated that he was ready to investigate the case behind the acquisition of shares of PT Jembatan Nusantara (JN) carried out by PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero). Haikal did not deny that ASDP's steps to buy 100 percent shares of rival companies were many irregularities.

PT ASDP purchased PT Jembatan Nusantara in February 2022. Unmitigated, the purchase reached IDR 1.3 trillion.

With this purchase, ASDP controls 100 percent of PT Jembatan Nusantara's shares along with 53 ships they manage. So that after this acquisition, the number of ASDP ferries became 219 units.

"We will try to explore this (convulsions). We will schedule (ASDP summons) to investigate," Haikal told reporters in Jakarta, Monday, December 5.

It is known, this acquisition gave birth to many suspicions. The reason is that there are many irregularities in it. Among these irregularities are the number of PT JN ships that are not feasible. Of the 53 ships, almost all of them are over the age of 20 years. There are even 30 ships that cannot sail due to damage or expired traffic permits. Therefore, the purchase price of ASDP is suspected to be expensive

Not to mention after the acquisition, ASDP also had to bear the debt of PT Jembatan Nusantara amounting to Rp. 116.2 billion which will mature in December this year. This burden does not include the Rp83 billion debt that must be paid from the purchase of the company's shares.

According to Haikal, ASDP had actually submitted a plan to purchase PT Jembatan Nusantara to Commission VI of the DPR. It's just that he regretted that ASDP did not explain in detail the purchase, including the unusable ships purchased from PT JN.

"This was explained in terms of corporate plans but not in detail. At that time ASDP in general only talked about adding to the market share," he explained.

So he did not expect that in the future there would be irregularities behind this purchase. Therefore, Commission VI will summon PT ASDP to explain the private shares of PT JN which are full of problems.

"We try (to call) during this trial," he said.

Previously, the Executive Director of Indonesian Resources Study (IRESS), Marwan Batubara, also criticized the purchase. Marwan revealed the many games in the purchase of shares of private companies by SOEs. Especially in price settings.

"If BUMN assets are sold for private purchase, they are bought cheaply. If later those who buy SOEs, those who sell private ones, they are sold expensively. That's normal. That's mark up. So that's where the point is," he explained.

Therefore, Marwan requested that currently the authorities, ranging from law enforcement and the DPR, to dismantle the purchase of shares of PT Jembatan Nusantara by ASDP.

"Now if someone asks if it's too expensive, then we ask that there be a kind of audit first, there is an investigation into the price. Then there is disclosure of information or transparency of the process. Don't suddenly buy as if this is benefiting SOEs. Even though it's detrimental. There what we are worried about is collusion," said Marwan.

"We know, for example, there is a system in BUMN, but when there is intervention, often all of that does not work well. Therefore, here there must be parties who dare to dismantle, for example, the DPR, law enforcement can also," he said.