Indonesia's AGO: No Political Pressures Behind CPO Corruption Case Investigation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Harli Siregar, head of the Attorney General's Office's (AGO's) Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum Kejagung), said the investigation into the crude palm oil (CPO) export corruption case was being conducted without any political pressure or influence. The CPO corruption case resurfaced after Airlangga Hartarto resigned from his position as Golkar chairman.

Airlangga is reported to have received a summons from the AGO in connection with the corruption case over export permits for CPO and its derivatives at the Ministry of Trade from 2021 to 2022.

"The treatment of cases that we conduct is not based on the politicization of the law, but purely as law enforcement," Harli said when met at the AGO's headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, August 12.

He also stressed that there was no political pressure or influence in the handling of this case.

"We work on the basis of investigative needs," he said.

When asked if the AGO would summon Airlangga for investigation in this case, Harli stated that he had not received any information regarding this matter. If there were any developments regarding Airlangga's summons, the AGO would provide an update, he added.

On July 24, 2023, the AGO special crime investigators questioned Airlangga for 12 hours, asking him 46 questions about his role in the alleged corruption.

Based on the cassation ruling of the Supreme Court (MA), which has permanent legal force, the state loss due to the CPO export permit case was Rp6.47 trillion. Three companies were involved in the CPO graft case, namely Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group and Musim Mas Group.

More than seven Golkar Party officials told Tempo on different occasions the chronology behind Airlangga's resignation. They said that before Airlangga decided to resign, the former Minister of Industry in 2016-2019 had received a summons from the AGO to be questioned as a witness in the corruption case over export permits for CPO and its derivatives at the Ministry of Trade from 2021 to 2022.

Airlangga's questioning is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, 2024, a Golkar official confirmed to Tempo yesterday.

Another Golkar official said that Airlangga was threatened with forced search and arrest if he did not immediately write a letter of resignation on Saturday, August 10. He said Airlangga would only be questioned as a witness when he is summoned next Tuesday.

"The AGO office sent the letter on Saturday. In the afternoon, (Airlangga) was ordered to make a video of his resignation. Otherwise, his house will be searched and (Airlangga) will be detained immediately. That's why, on Saturday night, regardless of whether he wanted to or not, he gave a letter of resignation," said the Golkar administrator.

Airlangga Hartarto resigned from his position as Golkar chairman on Saturday, August 10. He said his decision was based on various considerations, including maintaining the integrity of the party and ensuring the stability of the upcoming change of government.

TEMPO.CO

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