Minister, Pertamina chief should be responsible over rampant fuel smuggling

Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and president of the state oil and gas firm Pertamina must take responsibility over the rampant fuel smuggling in the country by starting to take strong administrative and even legal measures against Pertamina and Ministry people involved in the crime, according to the Kompas daily.

The paper quoted anti-corruption activists Todung Mulya Lubis and Faisal Tadjuddin as saying that if Susilo declined to take such measures, the public would think that the Minister was covering up the smugglers.

Legislator Arifin Panigoro and founder of the Medco group oil company said that the government must immediately take concrete steps to fight fuel smuggling and to take strong action against the smugglers.

Meanwhile, Susilo said that sanctions would only be given to officials if they're already proven to be involved in the fuel smuggling.

He said that non-government officials involved in the crime would be handled by the police not the ministry.

He added that if is up to the police or Pertamina to publicly disclose the people involved in the illegal transaction.

Susilo also vowed to push Pertamina to curb the fuel smuggling.

Meanwhile, Kompas also reported that fuel smuggling was rampat in the Cilegon area in West Java province. The paper earlier reported similar activity in the Cilincing Port in North Jakarta and in the Teluknibung area in North Sumatra. (*)