Jakarta, March 3, 2025 – The Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia (Kejagung) has uncovered a corruption case involving the management of crude oil and refinery products at Pertamina, implicating directors of its subsidiaries and private parties. Based on the Attorney General’s calculations, the estimated state losses amount to Rp193.7 trillion. However, when totaled from 2018 to 2023, the state losses are estimated to reach Rp968.5 trillion.

This case has drawn public attention due to allegations of blending Pertalite into Pertamax. This modus operandi has raised concerns among the public about the quality of RON 92 fuel, or Pertamax, sold at Pertamina fuel stations (SPBU). In response, Pertamina stated that the fuel in circulation meets the required standards. Pertamina used the term “blending,” which it claims is a common practice in fuel processing.

According to the findings of the Attorney General’s investigators, this blending process was carried out by PT Orbit Terminal Merak (OTM) in Cilegon, Banten. PT OTM not only stored but also blended fuel imported by PT Pertamina Patra Niaga (PT PPN). However, the blending process should have been conducted by PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI).

Based on the issues above, Seknas FITRA and PWYP Indonesia have put forward eight recommendations:

  1. Dishonorably discharge the nine suspects involved in the “Adulterated Fuel” corruption case and impose the harshest possible penalties, as the blending of Pertamax with Pertalite also occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  2. Urge the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to trace the flow of funds from the alleged “Adulterated Fuel” corruption and disclose this information to the public.
  3. Press the Attorney General’s Office and law enforcement agencies (APH) to expand the investigation into the flow of funds from the alleged corruption to identify other suspects involved and those who benefited from the “Adulterated Fuel” corruption proceeds.
  4. Conduct strict recruitment (merit-based system) for Pertamina and its subsidiary officials to avoid conflicts of interest and nepotism.
  5. Evaluate the performance of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (Kemen BUMN) in drafting regulations and overseeing the performance of state-owned enterprises (BUMN) and their subsidiaries.
  6. Encourage the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) and the Oil and Gas Institute (Lemigas) to intensify monitoring and evaluation of fuel in circulation to prevent harm to the public.
  7. Promote transparency and accountability in oil and gas governance by developing a monitoring system (such as a dashboard) accessible to the public to ensure the quality of fuel sold. This is a stance the government must take to restore public trust, especially among those who consciously purchase non-subsidized fuel.
  8. Drawing lessons from the “Adulterated Fuel” corruption case, expedite the passage of the Asset Forfeiture Law to create a deterrent effect and accelerate the recovery of state losses.

Contact Persons:

  • Aryanto Nugroho, National Coordinator of PWYP Indonesia
  • Gurnadi Ridwan, FITRA Researcher

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