Erick Thohir Regarding Payment Of Vendor Istaka Karya: SOEs Responsibility To Find Solutions

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said that solving the PT Istaka Karya (Persero) problem could not be perfect.

Even so, Erick ensured that SOEs would be responsible for finding solutions.

"If this is repeated, 'this is not true', what do you want to continue with? The important thing is that we now the leader in this SOE is responsible for finding a solution. Is it perfect? No, (perfect) belongs to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala like that," he told reporters, written Sunday, August 6.

Erick explained why this settlement could not be perfect. This is because the case occurred when he had not yet served as Minister of SOEs.

Erick emphasized that these problematic payment projects occurred in 2007-2008.

Then there are those who say this is not true, I said 'if it is true and it is not true who solves it?' yes we have to take a position to resolve it. In fact, there is a PKPU in 2013, who will continue to be?, "he said.

If there are other parties who make statements of charges, continued Erick, his party will respond professionally.

"But when we talk about painful accusations, well of course we have to counter professionally, so we also convey professionally without us meaning defensively," he said.

Previously, Erick said that he would auction off the debt guarantee assets of PT Istaka Karya (Persero) through the Asset Management Company (PPA) to pay off the debt of vendors from various micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

This decision was taken because the debt problem with MSME vendors had not been resolved since 2013 and Istaka Karya had been bankrupted by the court in 2022.

On August 4, the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court (PN Jakpus), curators, and creditors will announce the completion of MSME creditors and other creditors, including the progress of the auction of assets belonging to Istaka Karya.

"One of the schemes, PPA's debt guarantee assets will be auctioned, then part of the auction proceeds will be used to pay MSME creditors registered on the creditor list," said Erick, in Jakarta, Monday, July 31.

He also promised to solve the Istaka Karya problem that befell MSME vendors and infrastructure development vendors was resolved through the Central Jakarta District Court process.

"God willing, we will solve the problems that actually existed before we served at the Ministry of SOEs. We are ready to work hard so that the problems left by Istaka Karya and befell MSMEs and infrastructure development vendors are resolved through the central Jakarta district court process, curators and creditors will announce," he said.