KPK Collaborates With Anti-Corruption Agency For Oil Resulting Countries To Handle Petral Cases

The Jakarta Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Building (doc. ANTARA)

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is collaborating with the oil-producing state anti-corruption agency to investigate allegations of corruption in crude oil management and refinery products at Pertamina Energy Trading Limited (Petral) or Pertamina Energy Service Pte. Ltd. (PES).

Acting (Plt) Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu said this cross-judicial cooperation was needed because his agency focused on exploring the purchase of oil which was allegedly not carried out directly between companies or national oil companies (NOC). There are third parties or brokers who are suspected of playing so that there is too much to pay for.

"We will cooperate with each anti-corruption agency in each country to see whether the trading between Indonesia, represented by Pertamina, in this case Petral directly with the country's NOC or not," Asep told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted on Friday, November 21.

"Whether it's direct with Petronas or not, or it turns out to be just a document. Is it direct, for example, with Arabic, for example with Aramco or not. Well, like that," he continued.

Furthermore, Asep also said that his investigators had just returned from Singapore. There, they coordinated with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

"Yesterday, the team also just returned from Singapore," he said.

The cooperation with CPIB in investigating the alleged corruption of Petral was initially conveyed by KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto. He said his subordinates had come to the country to collect the necessary evidence and receive good reception.

"Yesterday there were investigators who carried out activities there together with the prosecutor as well, to coordinate, explain the handling of the case," said KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto to reporters in Bogor, West Java, Tuesday, November 18.

"Then we ask to be able to access, provide or obtain the required documents and maybe even witnesses from several countries that we need," he continued.

Setyo said CPIB was ready to assist in the investigation of allegations of corruption carried out by the KPK. "And later we will follow up with the next activities," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK revealed that the Attorney General's Office had transferred the case of corruption in the procurement of crude oil by Pertamina Energy Trading Ltd. (Petral) or PT Pertamina Energy Services Pte. Ltd (PES) to his institution.

This process is because the Adhyaksa Corps knows that the KPK has issued a new investigation warrant (sprindik) in October. However, no suspects have yet been named.

This new Sprindik was also known to have been published after investigators investigated allegations of bribery in the procurement of catalysts at PT Pertamina (Persero) and bribes for the procurement of crude oil and finished products for the 2012-2014 period.