According to Sukardi, who also serves as Pertamina’s President-Commissioner, “We will restructure Pertamina’s units in particular those outside its core competence. A company like Pertamina Savings is outside Pertamina’s competence, so it’s not surprising that they can be easily cheated.
Sukardi was referring to allegations Pertamina’s financing unit, PT Pertamina Savings and Investment, is involved in a US$6.5 million graft case. Pertamina also operates a hospital, an airline and hotels.
In related news, Pertamina President Widya Purnama has revealed why he was selected to head the state-owned firm and why the government reshuffled the company’s Board last month.
In a statement Widya said, “[I] replaced the unit’s president after [Pertamina] lost 200 billion rupiah (US$21.5 million), of which 60 billion (US$6.5 million) may have been caused by corruption.”
“Pertamina will ask Ernst & Young to hold an investigative audit to identify other cases of graft at the company and its units,” added Widya.
The board was reshuffled following the controversial sale of two of the company’s supertankers and rumours of legislators going on company-paid junkets to Hong Kong and South Korea.
