Ahok Shames Pertamina, Stafsus Erick Thohir: It's Their Internal Problem

Pertamina's President Commissioner Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, together with Pertamina's Managing Director Nicke Widyawati, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir, and President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). (Photo: Instagram @basukibtp)

JAKARTA - Special staff and spokesperson for the Minister of BUMN, Arya Sinulingga, denied that the statement made by the Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero) Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok to the public had the knowledge of BUMN Minister Erick Thohir. He said this was an internal problem of the state-owned company.

Arya said, as the main commissioner, Ahok had the right to summon Pertamina's board of directors to ask for an explanation of what he said through the video which eventually went viral.

Regarding Pertamina's debt, said Arya, as a commissioner, of course Ahok would know about it. In fact, the largest energy company also asked the commissioners' approval, including Ahok, before deciding to go into debt.

"Yes, we think it is their internal problem, so just solve it. If the problem is Pak Ahok Komut's debt, yes, then he has the right, and he knows. Every debt is based on the consent of him and the other commut, collective yes. So what does that mean? It's their internal problem there. We support the commissioners, the directors, to repair Pertamina, "he said, during the 'Ahok Dismantling Pertamina's Disgrace, What's Wrong?', Wednesday, September 16, evening.

According to Arya, from the start Erick Thohir has also criticized the problems that exist in Pertamina. In fact, said Arya, Erick always emphasized that all problems within Pertamina must be resolved internally.

"Mr. Erick has been criticizing Pertamina a lot from the start. That's why we are pushing Pertamina to get better, we say finish it inside. There are problems, there is a mafia to finish inside, there are projects that have not been completed, have been resolved. Which one is delayed, is stalling. finish, that's Pak Ahok's job, "he said.

Ahok's Note Becomes the Ministry of BUMN's Attention

Arya said that what was conveyed by Ahok regarding Pertamina's disgrace would all be the attention of the Ministry of BUMN as the head of state-owned companies.

Furthermore, Arya said that the Ministry of BUMN always held meetings with Pertamina's directors, including the commissioners and directors. This is to find out what problems occur within Pertamina.

"Attention, we have also conveyed that. We have regular meetings almost once a month between the commut, the president director, and the BUMN Ministry or the Deputy Minister who is in charge of each BUMN. What problems are they regularly called, what are they addressing, what are the issues? what develops is finished inside, "he said.

Lack of communication between Commut and Managing Director

According to Arya, Ahok's statement which is now in the public spotlight is a problem of lack of communication between the commissioners and Pertamina's directors. That is, this problem is an internal problem.

"It was chatting inside. We saw that we needed more agile communication between the commissioners and the Pertamina directors. So maybe the communication needs to be intensified," he explained.

Previously, former DKI Jakarta Governor Bahsuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok proposed that the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) led by Erick Thohir be dissolved. This proposal is not without reason. According to him, many state corporate governance has been inefficient.

Ahok said that he felt this bad governance immediately after entering the BUMN circle, or after being appointed as President Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero).

"The BUMN Ministry must be disbanded before Pak Jokowi steps down. We are building a kind of Temasek, a kind of Indonesia Incorporation," he said, quoted from the YouTube POIN video, Wednesday, September 16.

For example at Pertamina, said Ahok, the position of director or commissioner is very thick with political lobbying and division of positions. In fact, according to Ahok, the replacement of the board of directors was not discussed with him but directly to the Minister of BUMN.

"He could even change directors without telling me. I was angry too, so the directors of all lobbies went to the minister because it was the one who determined the minister. The commissioners were on average entrusted by the ministries," he said.

High Salaries of Pertamina Directors

Ahok also mentioned the salary at Pertamina, which is considered unreasonable in managing the company. Ahok said that he also often found Pertamina officials still receiving large salary facilities even though they had clearly been removed from their positions.

"People who are removed from the position of president director of a subsidiary, for example, have a salary of more than Rp. 100 million, the time they are removed but the salary is still the same. The reason is that he is an old person, the salary should be following the position, but they make a large base salary," he said.

"So imagine a person working for so many years, the salary of 75 million is removed, no work is paid that much. It's crazy, I think this can be prosecuted. So that's what we want to change the system," he continued.