Pertamina salary not Rp 75m, says minister

Pertamina salary not Rp 75m, says minister

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo
Yusgiantoro denied reports on Tuesday that he receives a monthly
salary of Rp 75 million as an advisor to the board of
commissioners of state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.

"The secretary's office of Pertamina's board of commissioners
gives (me) a monthly salary of Rp 21.8 million before taxes are
taken," Purnomo said in a statement.

Purnomo said he had been on the Governing Board of
Commissioners for Pertamina (DKPP) as chief commissioner prior
the introduction of Law No. 22/2001 on oil and gas, which changed
the company into a limited liability company.

After the introduction of the law, Purnomo was no longer the
chief commissioner, but has been appointed as an advisor to the
board of commissioners along with Minister of Finance Boediono.

Purnomo is tasked with giving input on market developments,
crude oil prices, provision of fuel products for domestic
consumption and government subsidies, while Boediono gives input
on fuel subsidies and business development, according to
documents signed by Pertamina's chief comissioner and State
Minister of State Enterprises Laskamana Sukardi, obtained by The
Jakarta Post.

Purnomo is currently the president of Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Trust magazine has reported that each of the ministers
receives Rp 75 million in monthly salary.

Boediono has also denied the report, saying his salary as an
advisor was "less than Rp 75 million", without specifying.

The salary issue comes amid controversies over Pertamina's
decision to sell its two tankers now being built by South Korean
firm's Hyundai Heavy Industries. Pertamina cited cash flow
problems, as the reason behind the sale.