TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Legal Aid Institute or LBH Jakarta urges the government to form an independent team to investigate the alleged adulteration of Pertamax fuel that has harmed the public. The fuel adulteration allegations were revealed by the Attorney General in the management of crude oil and refinery product contracts at PT Pertamina and Sub-Holding Contractor Cooperation (KKKS) in the 2018-2023 period.

"It is not just Pertamina that needs to clarify or be inspected; an independent team is needed to thoroughly investigate whether the adulteration has occurred," said LBH Jakarta Director Fadhil Alfathan when contacted on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Fadhil stated that the team could consist of experts and community representatives without any involvement from Pertamina. This way, the disclosure process can proceed objectively.

In response to the alleged Pertamax adulteration, LBH Jakarta and the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) have set up offline and online complaint posts for people who feel they have been victims of adulterated fuel. This complaint center was established to delve into and study the impact of the alleged fuel adulteration. As of today, the complaint post has received a total of 506 public reports since it opened on February 26.

In this reporting mechanism, Fadhil explained, people are asked to provide details about their experiences purchasing fuel with a Research Octane Number (RON) of 92, which is suspected to be adulterated from RON 90 (Pertalite). The public will be questioned about the types of motor vehicles they own, the frequency of purchases, estimated expenses, fuel purchase expenses for Pertamax from 2018 to 2023, and any vehicle damage history due to Pertamax. When making a report, people are also asked to provide receipts for Pertamax purchases and repair transaction notes.

Fadhil mentioned that public reports will serve as a reference for them to delve into the suspected adulteration case. The Attorney General conveyed the alleged Pertamax adulteration during the investigation of the management of crude oil and refinery product contracts at PT Pertamina, Sub Holding, and Contractor Cooperation (KKKS) in the period of 2018-2023.

If the adulteration is proven to be true, LBH Jakarta and Celios will facilitate the public in reclaiming their rights from the corruption committed by the bosses at Pertamina. "This is not for sensationalism, but to pursue the truth and advocate for justice," he said.

However, if Pertamina is willing to compensate the public for the damages, LBH Jakarta will refrain from pursuing legal action. The case will be considered closed, and there will be no need for a lawsuit. "Legal action is a last resort," Fadhil explained.

On the other hand, if Pertamina disregards the damages caused to the public, they will file a lawsuit against the state-owned company. There are two legal options being considered, namely class action or citizen lawsuit.

Fadhil stated they are prepared to sue the state-owned company if Pertamina disregards the damages caused to the public. They are considering two legal options: class action or citizen lawsuit.

Regarding the lawsuit, they are still studying the dynamics of the case. This is because class action and citizen lawsuit serve different purposes. Citizen lawsuit is carried out to demand justice due to policy loopholes. "If the issue is indeed related to policy, we will use that method."

Meanwhile, class action lawsuit will be pursued if Pertamina is proven to have disregarded their policies, causing harm to the public. "Several individuals representing many people share the same facts and legal problems, in the context of this case, they are both victims of this adulteration," Fadhil said.

Jihan Ristiyanti contributed to the writing of this article.

Editor’s Choice: Adding Additives Is Not Fuel Adulteration, Pertamina Clarifies

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News