KPK looks into Jero’s role in SKKMigas scandal

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned on Monday Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik in its investigation into bribery in the administration of the country’s oil and gas sector.

Speaking after his questioning session, Jero said the KPK investigators probed him as a witness for graft suspect president director of PT Kaltim Parna Industri, Artha Meris Simbolon, who is accused of having bribed graft convict, former Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) head, Rudi Rubiandini.

The bribe payment was allegedly so that Rudi would lower the price of gas allocated to the company.

“KPK investigators asked questions as to how the gas prices were formulated,” Jero said at the KPK headquarters on Monday.

Jero declined to confirm whether KPK investigators had asked him about alleged payments to the House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing energy and natural mineral resources.

Rudi allegedly received bribes from a number of companies and later he gave the money to the ministry’s former secretary-general Waryono Karno, who was allegedly instructed by Jero to collect money to be given to the House Commission VII to help ease the deliberation of the ministry’s budget.

“KPK investigators did not ask me anything about Sutan. All questions were related to Artha Meris Simbolon in relation to her case being investigated by the KPK,” Jero said, referring to Commission VII chairman Sutan Bhatoegana.