Pertamina's History: Bersinar And Redup Under The Power Of Ibnu Sutowo

JAKARTA - Pertamina and Ibnu Sutowo are two things that cannot be separated. The two are related to the growth and development of the national oil industry. Even though initially Sutowo did not understand the oil at all.

Sutowo's one thing that Sutowo has is capable leadership. He was able to change the former Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij concession which was already profitable. Pertamina was born because of it. He was able to bring Pertamina to success temporarily until dim due to corruption afterward.

The economic situation of Indonesia in the Old Order era is far from fine. This condition is considered reasonable because Indonesia's age as a country is still old as corn. All kinds of measurable policies. However, on the good side, everyone has an opportunity to help the nation and state.

Ibnu Sutowo, for example. He was given a mandate by the Army Chief of Staff (KASAD), AH Nasution to lead PT. North Sumatra Mining exploration (a former Dutch company concession, Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij) in 1957. Then, the company changed its name and became widely known as the National Oil Company (Permina).

He, who has absolutely no experience in the oil world, considers the appointment a challenge. He thought hard about how Permina's oil refineries could make a big profit. Sutowo's reflection brings results.

Sutowo's main step was to form trained staff. The study brought significant results. Moreover, Sutowo succeeded in recruiting Major Johanes Marcus Pattiasina who was khatam about the oil world. All because Pattiasina had worked in a colonial-era oil company. This experience was considered by Sutowo to be useful for developing Permina.

Building PT. Permina in essence talked about ideals, about ambitions. Permina in 1957 was just a name for an oil company, with old and abandoned fields, equipment and factories destroyed as a result of the second world war, the war of independence and reshuffle. A company with its employees is divided by ideology. This is the face of Permina.

"With this capital, we will try to improve the national wealth in North Sumatra and Aceh immediately. With the old power and existing equipment, which are very simple and stainless, we will fix what can be repaired. We clean what is dirty. The purpose at that time was to get oil and sell it. But the direction of the road there was long and tiring. But with an unquenched spirit, we finally achieved that goal," said Ibnu Sutowo as written by Ramadhan KH. In his book Time I told him (2008).

Sutowo's leadership brought a change wind for Permina. Even though the Old Order government has been replaced by the New Order. This achievement made Sutowo's name side by side with two other names -- Pattiasina and Julius Tahija -- as the Tiga Serangkai, the basis of the national oil company.

Sutowo's ideas to develop the national oil industry are accommodated by the New Order. All because of Sutowo's services to build Permina from scratch. Ibnu also has a plan that all oil companies managed by the government are streamlined into one. To be more efficient, he said.

Gayung also greeted. In fact, the New Order had the same thoughts as Sutowo. Indonesian Mining Minister Soemantri Brodjonegoro immediately proposed this to President Suharto.

He proposed that Permina and PN Pertamina be merged into one as State Companies (PN) for State Oil and Gas Mining (Pertamina). The proposal was accepted by The Smiling General. Pertamina was officially present on August 20, 1968. Suharto appointed Ibnu Sutowo as Director of PN (later) known as State-Owned Enterprises: BUMN) Pertamina.

Sutowo returned Suharto's trust with achievements. Pertamina turned into one of the giant SOEs in his era. In fact, Sutowo began to think about expanding Pertamina's business line. He doesn't want Pertamina to be in place. Moreover, relying on mere oils.

He and Pertamina began to look at the hotel business, insurance, and travel agencies. The study was considered revolutionary and recently brought disaster to Pertamina in the 1970s. This condition got worse as Pertamina's high-ranking lifestyle was shown in public.

Since then there has been no change made by Pertamina. Pertamina officials, especially Sutowo, often mix personal affairs with Pertamina. The issue of Sutowo's corruption and his krony spread everywhere. As a result, many of Pertamina's profits went into personal pockets.

Pertamina got the sap. Pertamina's debt accumulates and reaches 10.5 billion US dollars. A sizeable amount. Sutowo's insistence to step down echoing everywhere. Suharto's desire was later realized by firing Sutowo in 1976 to quell the emotions of all Indonesian people.

During his tenure as President Director of Pertamina from 1968-1976, Ibnu Sutowo supported the growth of Indonesia's oil service sector in two ways. First, by establishing a joint partnership between Pertamina and foreign entrepreneurs who produce tools for exploration and production.

Second, the main goal of the foreign oil and gas company that entered Indonesia was to be led by Ibnu Sutowo to exploit the resources of oil wealth in Indonesia in order to make a profit (profit) for Indonesia (in fact, the profits were directed into the pocket of the rulers, Ibnu Sutowo and his kroninya). It doesn't just stop to make a profit, but furthermore aims to accumulate profits, "explained Ismantoro Dwi Yuwono in the book Mafia Migas VS Pertamina (2014).