Golkar Urges PDIP Not to Make Baseless Accusations Over Coal Corruption Allegations

Member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission XII from the Golkar Party, Bambang Patijaya, has responded to statements by fellow lawmaker Deddy Sitorus in a national media outlet, which requested that the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources be investigated regarding coal procurement issues. Bambang stressed that the coal procurement mechanism is a business-to-business transaction. Therefore, he said, the focus should now be on improving procurement governance, from the procurement process and supervision to the receipt of coal. “Coal procurement is a business-to-business transaction. So, what we need to fix is the procurement governance. Starting from the procurement process, quality and volume supervision, to the receipt of coal, it must be ensured that everything runs professionally, transparently, and without room for fraudulent practices,” Bambang said in a written statement on Monday, 13 July 2026. Consequently, Bambang asked Deddy Sitorus not to comment on matters he does not fully understand. According to him, the issue must be viewed based on the facts and the applicable procurement mechanism, not by throwing accusations at various parties. “Brother Deddy Sitorus does not need to comment on something he does not fully know. There is no need to seek popularity by pointing fingers and looking for scapegoats in a matter he does not understand,” he asserted. Bambang assessed that the more important task now is to ensure the problems in coal procurement governance are resolved to the root. Any alleged violations must be handled based on facts and evidence, while weaknesses in the procurement system must be promptly corrected so that similar issues do not recur. “Let us not exhaust our energy just blaming each other. What is needed now is governance improvement. If there are alleged violations, let law enforcement do their job. We focus on ensuring that the coal procurement system becomes better, more transparent, and more accountable in the future,” said the legislator from the Bangka Belitung electoral district. Bambang added that Commission XII of the DPR will continue to exercise its oversight function to encourage the strengthening of governance in the electricity sector, particularly in primary energy procurement, so that energy supply for power plants is guaranteed and the public interest remains protected.