(Feb 25): Indonesia’s attorney general has arrested executives from subsidiaries of state energy firm PT Pertamina in an alleged 193.7 trillion rupiah (US$11.9 billion or RM52.37 billion) corruption scandal involving the procurement of crude and oil products.

Seven suspects, including four Pertamina executives, are accused of having caused the state losses in a scheme that pushed refiners to import crude and oil products from abroad, the attorney general’s office said in a statement on Tuesday. Pertamina is legally required to seek crude from domestic contractors before turning to imports.

The suspects are alleged to have pushed for marked-up imports between 2018 and 2023, and three other suspects from private companies are also accused of profiting illegally from the shipments.

Pertamina will cooperate with authorities on the investigation, it said in a statement on Tuesday, adding its energy distribution services to the public will continue to run normally.

Uploaded by Chng Shear Lane