ISESS Backs Police Anti-Corruption Corps to Investigate Coal Corruption: 'This is a Crime Against the State'
Police observer Bambang Rukminto from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) has given his full support to the Indonesian National Police’s Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortas Tipikor) in investigating the alleged corruption case concerning coal supply fulfilment that led to blackouts in Sumatra and several other Indonesian regions. Bambang believes the investigation must be conducted thoroughly.
“Strategic steps that need to be taken include investigating the entire supply chain, including suppliers, surveyors, testing laboratories, transport companies, procurement officials, and the parties receiving the goods, as well as implementing asset recovery and following the money to sever the economic benefits from the crime,” Bambang told reporters on Wednesday (8/7/2026).
Bambang explained that corruption triggering blackouts impacts the nation’s strategic infrastructure. He stated that this is what the police must uncover to prevent similar cases from recurring.
“If corruption results in widespread blackouts, the impact is equivalent to an attack on the state’s strategic infrastructure, even though it is carried out through governance deviation rather than physical sabotage. And this must be uncovered so it does not happen again in the future,” he said.
According to Bambang, the police can apply not only the Corruption Eradication Law but also articles within the Criminal Code. The Money Laundering Law can also be applied if the proceeds of the alleged corruption are disguised, leading to the disruption of vital objects.
“The approach used should not only be ‘follow the money’, but also ‘follow the disruption’, namely tracing how these deviations transformed into a systemic disruption to the national electricity supply,” he continued.
Bambang stressed that the electricity system is vital infrastructure supporting all state functions. The alleged corruption impacting the disruption of this energy supply, he said, should be categorised not only as an economic crime but also as a crime against the state.
“Therefore, corruption that disrupts energy supply has the character of both an economic security threat and a critical infrastructure threat, not merely an economic crime. It is a crime against the state,” he stated.
Kortas Tipikor Polri is currently investigating the alleged corruption case in coal supply fulfilment that triggered blackouts in Sumatra and several Indonesian regions. The case has been elevated to the investigation stage.
“We, the investigators, are conveying the progress of handling the corruption and money laundering case related to the procurement of coal supply needs at several coal-fired power plants during the period from 2018 to 2026,” said Head of Kortas Tipikor Polri, Inspector General Totok Suharyanto, during a press conference at the Criminal Investigation Department on Monday (6/7).
The status upgrade to investigation was determined on 4 July 2026. Totok stated that his team found two companies suspected of committing legal violations regarding the coal supply fulfilment.
“At the very least, investigators found alleged irregularities in the procurement and fulfilment of coal supplies at the power plants by several involved companies: PT OBP and PT BRA,” Totok said.
Director of Enforcement at Kortas Tipikor Polri, Brigadier General Robertus Yohanes De Deo, added that there were several methods allegedly used by the suspects in this case. One of them was document manipulation.
Investigators also found manipulation related to the quantity of coal supplied to the power plants, as well as alleged irregularities that resulted in payments or contract prices not matching the actual or real supply conditions.
No suspects have yet been named in this alleged corruption case. Investigators have examined 16 related witnesses and analysed a number of documents. State losses are estimated to reach Rp 5 trillion.