Pertamina to appoint independent surveyor to help trace fuel smugglers
Tuesday, May 2 2000 - 02:30 AM WIB
The state oil and gas firm Pertamina will appoint an independent surveyor to get a complete picture of the distribution of its fuel in a bid to resolve the rampant fuel smuggling out of the country.
Pertamina president Baihaki Hakim was quoted by the Neraca daily as saying that the appointment of an independent surveyor would dismiss public doubt on the investigation process.
He said that the surveyor would audit and investigate the so-called fuel delivery order including those allocated to the military.
He appealed to all parties not to obstruct the investigation and audit process.
Baihaki also would ask the Ministry of Finance to be allowed to directly appoint the surveyor without a tender process in a bid to accelerate the audit process.
He said that Pertamina was considering appointing the state-owned PT Surveyor Indonesia.
Pertamina and the Ministry of Mines and Energy have been under fire over the rampant fuel smuggling out of the country. Indonesian fuel products have been heavily subsidized. There's been speculation that the smuggling was made possible by the abuse of the delivery order. (*)