Judge Interrogates Witness on Golf Trip to Thailand in Oil Corruption Case
JAKARTA — The presiding judge, Adek Nurhadi, of the Corruption Court ordered Muhammad Umar Said, Manager of Shipping Business Development at PT Pertamina Internasional Shipping (PT PIS), to provide a straightforward account of a golf trip to Thailand involving senior officials of a Pertamina subsidiary and private sector representatives.
Umar appeared as a witness in the ongoing corruption trial concerning crude oil management governance at PT Pertamina Persero, with defendants Arief Sukmara, Director of Gas Petrochemical at PT PIS, and Indra Putra, Director of PT Petro Energi Nusantara and Business Development Manager at PT Mahameru Kencana Abadi.
“Who initiated this? Who came up with the golf idea?” asked Judge Nurhadi during the hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
Having reviewed Umar’s examination statement, the judge emphasised the importance of truthful testimony. “Do not change your account. If you change it, there must be a basis for doing so. I am asking you in good faith. What I require from you is honesty. You have taken an oath. Do not change your story arbitrarily without justification,” the judge stated firmly.
Umar explained that he and several others were invited by Yoki Firnandi, Director General of PT PIS (a defendant in a separate case), to play golf in Thailand.
“It was just a golf trip to Thailand,” Umar clarified. “We were asked to bring our own equipment and purchase our own tickets, and we paid for ourselves.”
The golf trip took place in 2014, a period when Pertamina had concluded procurement arrangements with several private entities. According to previous court sessions, approximately 21 people participated in the Thailand golf outing, representing both private companies and Pertamina internally.
Both defendants, Arief Sukmara and Indra Putra Harsono, participated in the event. Private sector participants included Ario Wicaksono, Director General of PT JMN; Dimas Werhaspati, Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim Nusantara (PT JMN); and Gading Ramadhan Joedo, Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim and Director General of PT Orbit Terminal Merak.