Former local partner of Foster Wheeler examined over Balongan case

Investigators of the Attorney General's Office have nearly finished examining former local partner of Anglo oil company Foster Wheeler who suspectedly had been involved in a corruption case related to a West Java oil refinery project, AGO?s spokesman Barman Zahir said on Monday as reported by Neraca daily.

Barman was quoted by Neraca as saying Erie Putra Oudang had influenced others to mark up the value of the Balongan oil refinery facility in West Java.

He added AGO?s investigators had yet to summon former president director of state oil and gas firm Pertamina, Faisal Abda?oe, and former minister of mining Ginandjar Kartasasmita. They were key witnesses to the corruption case, Barman said.

Other suspects in the Balongan case include former director Pertamina Tabrani Ismail, former coordinating minister for the economy Radius Prawiro and jailed conglomerate leader Bob Hasan.

Balongan is among the eight corruption cases at Pertamina which had caused the state to suffer around Rp3.4 trillion (US$1=Rp8925) in financial losses. (*)