Government Expected to Bring Riza Chalid Back to Indonesia

Energy expert from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Fahmy Radhi hopes that the authorities can bring M. Riza Chalid to Indonesia and process the legal case implicating him. “I hope Riza can be brought to Indonesia, because his role is suspected to be very significant. I hope there is law enforcement,” he said in response to Riza’s designation as a suspect in the alleged corruption case of crude oil and refined product procurement at PT Pertamina Energy Trading Limited or Petral, announced by the Attorney General’s Office on Thursday (9/4) evening. Fahmy, who is also a former member of the Oil and Gas Governance Reform Team or Anti-Oil Mafia Task Force, stated in Jakarta on Sunday that this case is indeed old, but questioned why it is only now being reopened. Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) also faced difficulties because Petral is located in Singapore. “So it’s an old case, with almost no suspect designations, including for Riza Chalid,” he said. “All fuel procurement is suspected to have been ‘supported’ by Riza Chalid through bidding,” he added. Fahmy further explained that at that time, the Oil and Gas Governance Reform Team had issued recommendations, namely the dissolution of Petral and the elimination of Premium-type fuel, which was suspected to be a rent-seeking commodity. Both recommendations, he continued, were ultimately implemented, namely dissolving Petral and eliminating RON 88 fuel (Premium). “We need to emphasise that the Petral entity was dissolved around May 2015, so the events that are the object of this legal process are not related to the current corporation. And at the time of the suspect designation, all seven suspects no longer hold positions in the current corporation,” said the Head of the Legal Information Centre (Kapuspenkum) of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, at a press conference. Regarding the state losses due to this corruption crime, Anang continued, they are still being calculated by BPKP. In addition, the Attorney General’s Office is currently continuing to cooperate with Interpol because Riza Chalid is on the list of wanted persons (DPO). The Attorney General’s Office continues to strive to bring Riza Chalid to his legal process in Indonesia.