KPK says Petral case not high priority

JAKARTA. Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Zulkarnain has said the result of a forensic audit into the Pertamina Energy Trading Ltd (Petral), involving Pertamina supposedly having been forced to accept crude oil and fuel supplies at uncompetitive prices, is not a high-priority case for investigation by the anticorruption body.

“We prioritize the case that are already obvious. Such a case needs a lot of time and we need the involvement of experts,” Zulkarnain said in Bogor, West Java on Friday night as reported by kompas.com.

According to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Sudirman Said, some third parties – not Pertamina management – intervened in the procurement and purchasing of oil and fuel for Pertamina Energy Services (Petral’s subsidiary).

Due to the interference, Pertamina received crude oil and fuel at uncompetitive prices. Any discounts that Pertamina should have enjoyed were allegedly taken by the third parties.

Zulkarnain said his institution would compare the result of the forensic audit by Australian auditing agency Kordamentha that was conducted from July to October with the results of an audit conducted by Indonesia’s Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

The KPK, he added, wants to determine if the state suffered losses.

Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto said that there were parties who benefitted from leaked information about the fuel procurement. “We have no authority to announce who was involved,” Dwi added.

According to Dwi, his company will reveal the names if the KPK decides to investigate the case.