Medco will also appeal against C. Jakarta court

Like state owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina, PT Medco Energi will also file an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Central Jakarta Court?s recent decision to turn down the company?s objection against the conspiracy ruling issued by the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU).

Medco said in a statement on Monday that although the company respected the court?s decision, it would soon appeal to the Supreme Court because the court?s decision to turn the company?s objection did not reflect the truth.

The Central Jakarta Court?s ruling to reject Medco?s objection was against the legal principles in Indonesia.

As widely reported by the media, in January, 2011, KPPU ruled that a consortium comprising of Medco, Pertamina and Mitsubishi Corporation were involved in conspiracy in a beauty contest to select the Mitsubishi as the winner of the LNG Donggi Senoro project.

The KPPU imposed fines to each of the consortium members. Mitsubishi Corporation is required to pay Rp 15 billion, PT Pertamina of Rp10 billion, Medco Energy Rp 5 billion and PT Medco E&P Tomori Sulawesi of Rp 1 billion. Total fine reaches a total of Rp 31 billion.

The KPPU had found that the consortium had conspired to obtain confidential information which had led to the appointment of Mitsubishi as the winner of the project to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Donggi-Senoro, South Sulawesi.

Both Pertamina and Medco appealed the KPPU decision at the Central Jakarta court, but it was later turned down.

Last week Pertamina said that it would file an appeal with the supreme court against the Central Jakarta court?s decision. (godang/giok)