TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Corruption in the energy sector continues to be the main obstacle in the transition to renewable energy. The alleged corruption of crude oil by PT Pertamina, which produced Pertamax and Pertalite, adds to the long list of challenges for Indonesia's transition to renewable energy.

This was conveyed by Igg Maha Adi, Director of Greenpress Indonesia, an association of environmental journalists, on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. "This scandal shows the need for stricter supervision of energy governance," said Adi.

Adi said the government and the public must be more vigilant about the potential for corruption in the energy sector. He believes that corruption in the governance of fuel not only damages the economy but also harms the environment. According to Greenpress' study, there are at least three ecological consequences of the alleged corruption in the governance of crude oil and the refinery products of Pertamina from 2018-2023.

First, Greenpress considers the policy of importing large amounts of crude oil increases the high carbon emissions produced by fuel tanker ships. Furthermore, Greenpress highlights the potential exploitation of natural resources from the alleged corrupt practices.

"With the manipulation of refinery production, the exploitation of domestic oil resources becomes suboptimal. This can trigger excessive exploitation in certain areas or even increase dependence on new explorations that damage the ecosystem," said Adi.

Greenpress also mentions the environmental pollution impact of manipulated fuel quality. Greenpress stated that burning fuel that does not meet specifications has the potential to increase air pollution in major cities. However, blending Pertalite into Pertamax can produce fuel that does not meet the standard quality.

With the emergence of the energy sector corruption scandal, Adi urged the government to take a firm stance on law enforcement and environmental preservation. "It is time for Indonesia to truly implement transparent and sustainable energy policies for a greener future," Adi emphasized.

Previously, PT Pertamina Patra Niaga claimed that there were no practices of mixing Pertamax fuel. The company ensures that the quality of Pertamax remains in accordance with the specifications set by the government, namely with a Research Octane Number (RON) of 92.

Pertamina Patra Niaga Corporate Secretary, Heppy Wulansari, emphasized that all fuel products entering Pertamina's terminal have met the specified standards.

"The fuel products entering Pertamina's terminal are finished products that comply with their respective RON. Pertalite has an RON of 90, and Pertamax has an RON of 92. The specifications distributed to the public from the receipt of products at Pertamina's terminal have been in accordance with government regulations," said Heppy in an official statement on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.

Heppy's statement responds to the alleged corruption case in the governance of crude oil and refinery products, which is currently being handled by the Attorney General's Office (AGO). In this case, the AGO has named four Pertamina executives as suspects. The suspects are Riva Siahaan, the CEO of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga; Sani Dinar Saifuddin, the Director of Feedstock and Product Optimization at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional; Yoki Firnandi, the CEO of PT Pertamina International Shipping; and Agus Purwono, the Vice President of Feedstock Management at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional.

The suspects come from the board of directors of Pertamina's subsidiaries and private parties who are suspected of being involved from 2018 to 2023.

Dani Aswara contributed to the writing of this article.

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