JAKARTA - Senior economist Rizal Ramli shared an important story when he served as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs in 2015. At that time, Rizal Ramli was included in the Working Cabinet of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Rizal claimed to have prevented the wasting of tens of trillions of state money from strategic projects that Jusuf Kalla wanted to carry out. This story was shared by Rizal Ramli on the Youtube channel Refly Harun quoted by VOI, Thursday, September 23.
The most spectacular is the construction of a fuel pipeline network proposed by Jusuf Kalla along the island of Java. According to Rizal Ramli, the investment value in this project has almost touched IDR 56 trillion and was almost approved in a cabinet meeting.
"Everyone agreed earlier (in the cabinet meeting). I raise my hand, Mr. President (Jokowi) I apologize, this is the existing fuel network, there are Pertamina's tanks, storage, private sector and others. How come you want to create a new network again ? That's a waste," said Rizal Ramli.
Next is the matter of the safety of the fuel pipeline network because it has a very high accident risk. In Russia, said Rizal Ramli, every 5-10 Kilometers of the network are closely guarded by the military, including monitoring from aerial satellites.
"Because if a naughty person blows it up, a big fire occurs. I asked the President Director of Pertamina at that time, 'Are you ready to think about the security and security aspects? No (replied by the President Director of Pertamina). Why are you making this network. This is a waste," explained Rizal Ramli. .
To the President Director of Pertamina, Rizal then proposed to build a gas pipeline network. Gas from outside Java will be used as city gas so that our energy is cheaper and cleaner. Rizal then suggested to Jokowi to cancel this project.
"I'm sorry, Mr. President, we cancel this. Jokowi agrees that we cancel it. On that day, the president, on my advice, canceled all this project for 3.6 billion dollars or almost Rp. 56 trillion. Rizal Ramli saved that, but because of this, many people are upset," said Rizal Ramli.
The next project is still from the energy sector. Jusuf Kalla, according to Rizal Ramli, wants his son to be involved in the fuel tank business in the Merak and Makassar areas. Pertamina will later spend money to buy these tanks.
Rizal Ramli does not agree with this because of waste. Every day, Pertamina has to buy 1.5 million barrels of fuel. Instead of having to buy a tank from his son Jusuf Kalla, why doesn't the government just ask the supplier to prepare a tank to accommodate the fuel.
"If the language is we trade crackers. Those who want to buy crackers, the seller has prepared cracker cans, fill them every day. We (buyers) just come and get the crackers. What are we doing to spend Pertamina's money (buying a fuel tank), cancel Pak Jokowi. And Pak Jokowi cancels," said Rizal.
Rizal did not deny, for this reason he was also expelled from the ministerial chair after a year in office.
"JK was disturbed by us, first in the cabinet meeting he was very dominant, there were many JK people in Jokowi's first cabinet. As soon as we entered, our thoughts became the conclusion of the meeting. We continued to cut his projects, many kinds of electricity and others -other," said Rizal Ramli.
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