Pertamina's chief of finance suspended over tanker case
Pertamina's chief of finance suspended over tanker case
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
State oil and gas company PT Pertamina's director of finances is
facing a temporary suspension starting on Monday because of his
alleged involvment in collusion over the sale of the company's
two oil tankers.
State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto said on Sunday
Pertamina's board of commissioners had officially issued a
temporary suspension notice to Alfred Rohimone.
"The suspension will go into effect as of Monday. He (Alfred)
has to be suspended to make it easier for the authority to
investigate the corruption. The company is now seeking a
replacement for him," Sugiharto said at the State Palace.
He added that the government was still investigating Pertamina
officials' involvement in the scandal. Where there was evidence
other people were involved, they would be prosecuted, he
promised.
The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) on
Thursday handed down its verdict that Pertamina and its three
business partners were guilty for colluding in the sale of two
Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) worth US$184 million last year.
As the market price of each tanker was between $120 million
and US$150 million, the sales had caused the state to lose at
least $50 million.
The KPPU ordered Pertamina's boards of directors and
commissioners to report their wrongdoings to the shareholders
meeting and to suspend Alfred.
The KPPU also ordered Pertamina's three partners -- Singapore-
based financial advisor Goldman Sachs, Indonesian shipping firm
PT Equinox, and the tender winner, Bermuda-based shipping firm
Frontline Ltd -- to pay a total of $61.27 billion in fines to the
state and Rp 180 billion ($19.4 million) in penalties.
Alfred and the company's former president director Ariffi
Nawawi received the nod to execute the sale from former state
minister of state enterprises Laksamana Sukardi.
The sale was carried out the middle of last year during the
Megawati Soekarnoputri government's term.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro
said the tanker sale contradicted the ministry's policy of
strengthening Pertamina's transportation fleet so it could
improve its operational efficiency and delivery time.
"We are repeating our request to Pertamina not to sell more
VLCCs," said Purnomo.