JK Says Waskita Karya Has A Debt Of IDR 300 Billion To His Company, Erick Thohir: I Will Definitely Check

SOE Minister Erick Thohir. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir opened his voice about Jusuf Kalla's (JK) complaint which stated that PT Waskita Karya (Persero) still has a debt of Rp. 300 billion to his company, Kalla Group.

He said he would check related to the debt.

Furthermore, Erick said, he did continue to monitor debt problems in BUMN works. Including, he continued, even small vendors.

"I'll check, I'll pay attention. Definitely (we check), not only Mr. JK, even small vendors (we will check)," he said to reporters, written on Sunday, October 15.

Erick explained that basically the debts in SOEs were generally old debts before his leadership as Minister of SOEs. Even so, Erick emphasized, the issue of these debts continues to be improved.

"But surely I'm sure this is an old project (Waskita's debt to JK), well that means not my time. That's why since my time for (BUMN) works that are not healthy we fix. If there is corruption in our works, we work together to ensure that the elements are responsible," he said.

Separately, Waskita Karya SVP Corporate Secretary Ermy Puspa Yunita did not deny the ownership of the debt.

However, the amount of debt related to the Jakarta-Cikampek Elevated II (MBZ Toll) development project is not final.

Ermy said Waskita Karya's debt figure to the JK company was still in the process of preparing for the calculation or verification.

"Jusuf Kalla said Waskita Karya's debt to Bukaka reached Rp300 billion, we can convey that the final figure is still in the process of preparing for the calculation/verification at the Jakarta-Cikampek Elevated II (MBZ Toll Road) Project," he said in a written statement, quoted on Sunday, October 15.

Ermy said that both parties had also agreed to appoint an independent external auditor in order to ask for opinions or reviews. The results of the review will be used as the basis for Waskita-Acset KSO payments to KSO Bukaka-KS.

"In addition, Waskita-Acset KSO has made payment obligations to KSO Bukaka-KS which have been billed in accordance with the amount of payment stipulated in the contract," said Ermy.