Waiting For Erick Thohir To Solve Problems At BUMN Karya

Illustration Of Image By Andri Winarko VOI

JAKARTA - BUMN Karya has a big responsibility in building state infrastructure from Sabang to Merauke. Based on this big role, the DPR urged the establishment of a working committee (pemployment) in the problem of BUMN Karya's debt.

In 2023, Indonesia's state debt reaches tens of thousands of trillions, which is a serious concern of the DPR. Member of Commission XI of the DPR RI, Fauzi Amro, revealed that the total state debt is estimated at IDR 20 trillion, which comes from BUMN debt and TNI/Polri salary. He also highlighted the transparency of BUMN debt listing, emphasizing the need to record well in the Ministry of Finance.

"So our debt is not IDR 7,500 trillion but IDR 20,750 trillion," Fauzi told VOI.

PKS politician, Hidayatullah, asked the government to explain the total interest in debt and the government's debt burden which reaches Rp1,000 trillion every year. "JK (Jusuf Kalla) once said that currently our debt burden is already Rp. 1,000 trillion, if there is such a problem, of course you can imagine that the burden will be unusually heavy, it could disrupt our fiscal policy," he said.

The Director General of Financing and Risk Management (PPR), Suminto, noted that the position of state debt as of May 31, 2023 was around Rp. 7,787 trillion, through various sources, both loans and securities. He emphasized the importance of seeing the issue of state debt from several indicators, including financial power and sustainability.

Regarding the large debt of several SOEs, Suminto emphasized that it is the responsibility of the corporation and is outside the government's obligation.

However, attention turned to Erick Thohir, Minister of SOEs, who was involved in politics and was recorded as a candidate for vice president in the 2024 presidential election. The Director of the Movement for Change, Muslim Arbi, urged Erick to be more serious in dealing with problems at the Ministry of SOEs.

The General Chairperson of the Revival of the Prosperous Society (HMS) Center, Hardjuno Wiwoho, reminded that the debt burden of SOEs will become a legacy for future generations and emphasize the responsibility of the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani.

Director of Indonesia Political Review (IPR), Ujang Komarudin, emphasized that public attention to Erick regarding BUMN debt is a natural thing and asks Erick to solve problems at the Ministry of SOEs before being involved in electoral politics.

Chairman of the People's Association for Istaka Karya (Perkobik) BUMN Victims Bambang Susilo, who came from Yogyakarta, said that currently his business was destroyed due to the state's Istaka Karya BUMN, even though his company employs people with disabilities. Bambang Susilo, who is also a disabled entrepreneur, can now only hope that President Jokowi will immediately intervene to complete the payment he never received.

"I established this contractor company aimed at employing people with disabilities. At my place on the slopes of Mount Merapi, there were 20 people with disabilities who currently do not have income anymore because they have not been paid by BUMN Istaka Karya, which is currently bankrupted by the state," said Bambang Susilo when contacted by VOI, Tuesday. September 12.

Bambang explained that his company became a subcontractor for rock and sand in the Underpass Kentungan project, Yogyakarta with a total loss of IDR 2 billion. He said that although he and his employees had limitations in moving, it did not mean that they could not participate in the development of the country's infrastructure, which he loved. Bambang said that to be able to play a role in the development in the infrastructure sector, contractors and subcontractors not only spend energy and thoughts but also non-small capital originating from loans at government banks.

"Regarding Istaka Karya SOEs that have been bankrupted, we do not object and reject the disbandment of a state-owned company, but we really hope that SOEs' debts to the people must be repaid and paid in full. The reason is like this, we as subcontractors from SOEs also spend capital from government bank loans, which until now we have not been able to pay the installments because there is no money. To get loans from our banks we also secure our assets," he said.

Bambang said his hope as a person with disabilities to be able to cooperate with SOEs and provide welfare to the community. But in reality, in contrast, SOEs actually oppress where vendors are used but not paid.

"The main goal of forming SOEs is that it is for the welfare of the people. If the opposite happens, oppressing, it means this is a new style of colonialism. The capital of us, our staff, is like romusha, work is not paid for." he said.

Strong criticism of the performance of the Ministry of SOEs was also conveyed by Ronald Sinaga through several of his social accounts. In his upload on an account called brorondm, Ronald Sinaga often criticizes in various ways.

Starting from his YouTube channel or through other personal social media such as Twitter (X) and tiktok. Through his TikTok @brorondm account, Bro Ron said Erick Thohir had received a warning since December 2022 when Waskita Karya's Finance Director was arrested.

In addition, still through the @brorondm account in tiktok media, this man explained a figure named Sigit Winarto. Sigit Winarto is the former president director of BUMN Istaka Karya who served for 2017-2022.

"Suddenly he was detected by victims of Istaka Karya, he is now serving as a director at another BUMN, namely PT JIEP (Jakarta Industrial Estate Pulogadung) in East Jakarta. Lumagin, previously in office failed after serving for five years his company went bankrupt. Incidentally, in BUMN JIEP, the shareholders are BUMN and BUMD Jakarta, yes. So you pay attention to what I said, the Pulogadung industrial area is owned by the central government through BUMN but not direct SOEs, but the shares are owned by Danareksa by 50 percent of the BUMN and central representatives, another 50 percent are owned by the DKI Regional Government. The president director of Danareksa is a former president director of PT PPA who is also a BUMN, namely Yadi Jaya Ruchandi. It's funny isn't that how to manage BUMN. It's amazing, Mr. How extraordinary," he said.

As if in line with the @Brorondm account, Gerindra Party politician Andre Rosiade reported the pride of the general manager (GM) and project manager (PM) at BUMN Karya to SOE Minister Erick Thohir. Andre assessed that GM and PM at BUMN Karya were like small kings. The report was submitted during a working meeting between Commission VI DPR RI and the Ministry of SOEs at the Parliament Building, Jakarta, Thursday (31/8).

"This work really has to be improved by the Minister's finances and mentality. A lot of GM Karya is like a small king. It's clear that you owe it, you don't pick up the phone, you don't answer WA, it's difficult to find them. Even though they live a lot, richer than the directors. You should owe it automatically you pay. What do we need to make a committee to solve this," said Andre in a written statement, Thursday (31/8/2023).

Politician from PAN, Intan Fauzi emphasized that the formation of a working committee (panja) in the BUMN Karya issue is a necessity to unravel all those involved. He reasoned that BUMN Karya had a big responsibility in building state infrastructure from Sabang to Merauke.

"The funding is also very large, because it must be properly monitored so that President Jokowi's ideals in connecting between regions through infrastructure are not misused," said Intan in a written statement to VOI.

The Special Staff of the Minister of SOEs, Arya Sinulingga, said that the payment of Istaka Karya's debt to vendors would be settled but did not match the amount of receivables owned by vendors.

The reason is that the payment process is adjusted to the state-owned assets of the construction. "It's paid, but it's definitely not what he has (the vendor's receivables), right according to his assets. When he entered the bankruptcy, according to the assets owned by the company, the distribution is in accordance with the authority determined by the court," he said in a written statement.