Ahok Bewildered at Being Questioned About LNG Matters Before Becoming Pertamina Chief Commissioner

Former Chief Commissioner (Komut) of PT Pertamina Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, became embroiled in a debate with a defence lawyer for a defendant in a corruption case concerning the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The dispute even required intervention from the judicial panel.

The debate took place at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Jalan Bungur Besar Raya, on Monday 2 March 2026. Ahok engaged in the dispute with Wa Ode Nur Zainab, the lawyer for Hari Karyuliarto, Director of Gas at PT Pertamina.

Initially, Wa Ode thanked Ahok for agreeing to testify at today’s hearing. After this, Wa Ode immediately asked about an audit request conducted by the State Audit Board (BPK).

“My question is, was this BPK audit requested by whom?” Wa Ode asked Ahok.

“I cannot recall who requested it, ma’am. We used the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) if I remember correctly at that time,” Ahok replied.

“In your statement there is the BPK that you just mentioned,” Wa Ode asked.

“Yes, perhaps BPKP or BPK, there are two of them, one or the other,” Ahok responded.

Wa Ode then asked Ahok again regarding expenditure from Pertamina to purchase LNG from Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC. Ahok answered that he did not know because the agreement process had already been conducted before he took office.

“Did you ever ask about the results of that audit? Because the purchase of Corpus Christi certainly occurred before, so when the audit was conducted by the BPK in your statement, the realisation of the Corpus Christi purchase had not yet occurred. Do you know when Pertamina first spent money to purchase LNG Corpus Christi?” Wa Ode asked.

“I do not know. What is certain is that when we entered, the purchase agreement already existed, already signed the Sales Purchase Agreement (SPA),” Ahok replied.

“The agreement, but do you know when the actual purchase realisation occurred?” Wa Ode asked.

“That is what I do not know because I would have to read it in the audit report,” Ahok answered.

Despite being told ‘I do not know’ by Ahok, Wa Ode continued asking about the Corpus Christi LNG purchase agreement as listed in the audit report. Ahok then explained that he joined Pertamina in November 2019, whilst the contract already existed before Ahok arrived at Pertamina.

“Do not twist the matter. I want to explain, I joined in November 2019. Then in January during a Board of Commissioners-Board of Directors meeting, the directors reported that there would be losses from the LNG contract which had no buyer. That is what must be clarified first. Of course, we as the commissioners’ board received that report, then ordered the audit committee to investigate. Then the audit committee, through the internal audit function, conducted an audit,” Ahok explained, raising his voice.

“Please answer my question. If your answer is that you do not know or cannot answer, that is fine, sir. I have the right to ask,” Wa Ode said.

Ahok felt bewildered why Wa Ode continuously asked him about matters he did not know about. Yet, he did not know about this.

“Yes, I do not know because I had not yet joined, so why ask about what happened before, that is amusing,” Ahok replied.

“The fact is all the witnesses at the trial have stated that the purchase of Corpus Christi first occurred in 2019, 2020 and so on. If you do not know, that is fine,” Wa Ode said.

“It is not a purchase, they were redeeming Take or Pay (TOP), ma’am, according to the directors’ reasons,” Ahok replied.

“Have you ever read the agreement? Why talk about Take or Pay? Because in the Corpus Christi LNG contract there is no Take or Pay,” Wa Ode asked.

Once again, Ahok explained that he reported the alleged procedural error based on the audit results. He also invited Wa Ode to call other directors as witnesses at the next hearing.

“I have no intention of making him a suspect. I only secured my position as Chief Commissioner, the directors reported. If you would like, you call the directors as your witnesses so you can ask them why in the official report of the Board of Commissioners-Board of Directors meeting they reported there would be losses of hundreds of millions,” he continued.

As Wa Ode continued pressing him, Ahok felt cornered. He requested that all Pertamina directors be called if Wa Ode desired a complete explanation of the audit report.

“That is why I answered you, ma’am, I only went by the directors’ report. Call the directors as a witness here, the hearing is open, why is it as if I… I also ask, what is the intention of Mr Heri speaking in the media calling me? Am I his enemy? I have never sought enemies,” Ahok said.

“You reported this case!” Wa Ode stated.

“I reported it, I was the Chief Commissioner!” Ahok replied.

The debate between Ahok and Wa Ode was eventually mediated by the judge. Both Ahok and Wa Ode were asked to remain calm.

“Witness, just a moment… be calm, do not let emotions take over. Legal adviser, do not overdo it either. This witness received a report from the board of directors during a meeting saying ‘there will be losses’, he followed up. That is all, it is settled,” the judge requested.

Besides Hari Karyuliarto, Yenni Andayani, former Vice President of Strategic Planning Business Development at Pertamina’s Gas Directorate, also sits as a defendant in this trial.