KPK detains former Pertamina director in catalyst procurement bribery case
Wednesday, January 7 2026 - 08:16 AM WIB
Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained Chrisna Damayanto, former director of processing at state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, over alleged bribery in the procurement of refinery catalysts during the 2012–2014 fiscal years.
Chrisna was taken into custody for an initial 20-day period, from Jan. 5 to Jan. 24, 2026, and is being held at the KPK detention centre in South Jakarta, KPK Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Mungki Hadipratikto said on Monday.
According to the KPK, PT Melanton Pratama (PTMP), a domestic catalyst supplier, used the name of US-based Albemarle Corp to participate in a Pertamina tender for catalyst procurement. PTMP initially failed to qualify after not passing the required ACE test.
Mungki said that, following the failed bid, Frederick Aldo Gunardi, an employee of PTMP, contacted private individual Alvin Pradipta Adiyota on the instructions of PTMP director Gunardi Wantjik. The request was for Alvin to approach Chrisna and seek changes that would allow PTMP to re-enter the tender for Residue Catalytic Cracking (RCC) catalyst products at Pertamina’s Refinery Unit (RU) VI Balongan.
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The KPK alleges that Chrisna subsequently issued a policy removing the ACE test requirement for catalyst products. This decision enabled PTMP to win the catalyst procurement contract at RU VI Balongan for the 2013–2014 period, with a contract value of US$14.4 million.
“After being selected as the winner, PTMP allegedly provided part of a fee originating from Albemarle Corp to Chrisna Damayanto amounting to at least Rp1.7 billion during the 2013–2015 period,” Mungki said.
The KPK said the alleged payments were linked to policy decisions taken by Chrisna that were contrary to his duties and obligations as Pertamina’s director of processing at the time.
Chrisna has been charged under Indonesia’s anti-corruption law for receiving bribes, the agency said.
Previously, the KPK detained three other suspects in the case on Sept. 9, 2025: PTMP director Gunardi Wantjik, PTMP employee Frederick Aldo Gunardi, and private individual Alvin Pradipta Adiyota.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak