Alleged Sabotage In Cilacap Refinery Fire, PDIP: International Standard Safety Period Loses To Lightning

Smoke rises into the sky from the burning tank 36 T 102 at Pertamina International Refinery RU IV Cilacap, Central Java, Sunday, November 14 (Photo: Idhad Zakaria/Antara)

JAKARTA - The PDIP faction in the DPR considers that the fire that occurred in the Pertamina Refinery area in Cilacap, Central Java, on Saturday, November 13, should serve as an entry point to investigate allegations of deliberate intent. Because the case of refinery fires in Cilacap has occurred at least seven times since 1995. In 2021, the PDIP Faction recorded that there had been 3 fires. First Balongan, second and third occurred in Cilacap. Member of Commission VII of the House of Representatives, Nasyirul Falah Amru, suspected that there was an element of intent in the fire at the refinery containing pertalite-type fuel oil. He wasn't sure the refinery caught fire from a lightning strike. "It is said that security is international standards, international standards are inferior to lightning. Well, this is all irrational, if it is said that it is a lightning factor. So sabotage is possible and we highly suspect," said Nasyirul in the PDIP Faction Room, Nusantara. I Parliament Complex, Monday, 15 November.

He was surprised that there had been repeated fires and asked for a thorough investigation, but until now Pertamina has not realized the request. "In June last year when Balongan burned down, the Balongan refinery burned down, the PDIP-P faction had also asked to conduct a thorough investigation. But until now it has not been done," he said.

"If it's been conveyed, it's been met, because of lightning, right? So then the conditions, how come sequentially, from Balongan in North Java, then in the south in Cilacap what is this. That's a very extraordinary loss and this threatens the stability of our country "Nasyirul continued. Nasyirul said that from 2008 to 2021, Pertamina's oil refinery fires had been recorded 16 times. He said the red plate company was completely irresponsible.

"This means that from the 16 cases where the refinery caught fire, Pertamina was really incompetent in managing it. Even investigating was not good enough," said Nasyirul.