The AGO Affirms There Is No Politicization in Investigating CPO Export Cases

The Attorney General's Office dismissed speculation that there was politicization in the investigation of Airlangga Hartarto and also Muhammad Lutfi in the case of providing export facilities for crude palm oil and its derivatives.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Chairwoman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Puan Maharani (right) met with the Chairman of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto in Jakarta, Thursday (27/7/2023).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS —Attorney General's Investigators have scheduled an examination of former Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi on Tuesday (1/8/2023). Similar to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto who was questioned last week, Lutfi is also being investigated in relation to the alleged provision of export facilities for crude palm oil and its derivatives. The Attorney General's Office emphasized that there was no politicization in the investigation of the case.

Head of Information Center Law of the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) Ketut Sumedana stated that a summons had been sent to Muhammad Lutfi. Lutfi is scheduled to be examined on Tuesday (1/8/2023). Lutfi's summons was decided after investigators examined the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto on Monday (24/7/2023).

If Lufti complies with the investigator's summons next Tuesday, it will be a further examination for him. Previously, in June 2022, Lutfi also underwent an examination at the Attorney General's office in the same case. During the 12-hour examination at that time, Lutfi received 15 questions from the investigator. "There are some (examination materials) that are the same, and there are some (examination materials) that need to be explored," Ketut said.

Also read: Airlangga was asked by Attorney General's Office investigators about preventing cooking oil shortages

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Former Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi, after undergoing a special criminal investigation at the Round Building of the Indonesian Attorney General's Office in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/6/2022).

Previously, the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes at the Attorney General's Office, Febrie Adriansyah, stated that a re-examination of Lutfi was necessary to explore the policies taken when there was a shortage of cooking oil. The Attorney General's Office continues to investigate the parties most involved in making policies to address the shortage of cooking oil in 2022.

"That's why we need another (Lutfi) examination. We also have to check with the Minister of Trade and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy. If necessary, this must be a confrontation which is the correct policy, which is related to the sentence (Articles) 55-56 which has been terminated. Right, still one line (authority). Who plays the role must be tested, “said Febrie (Kompas.id, 28/7/2023).

Not political

The examination of Airlangga, who is also the Chairman of the Golkar Party, has raised speculation of politicization in law enforcement by the Attorney General's Office. However, Ketut denied the speculation that the examination of Airlangga and Lutfi was a form of politicization.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

The Head of the Legal Public Information Center of the Attorney General's Office, Ketut Sumedana, provided a statement to journalists regarding the examination of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, at the Attorney General's Office in Jakarta on Monday (24/7/2023).

Ketut asserts that the investigation into the alleged provision of palm oil export facilities happened coincidentally during the political year. The summons of government officials and former officials was based on the Supreme Court's decision regarding five convicts in the case of providing palm oil export facilities and its derivatives.

The five convicts are former Director General of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Indra Sari Wisnu Wardhana; an analyst at Independent Research & Advisory Indonesia (IRAI) and member of the Minister of Economic Affairs Assistance Team, Weibinanto Halimdjati alias Lin Che Wei; Commissioner of Wilmar Nabati Indonesia Master Parulian Tumanggor; Senior Manager Corporate Affair at PT Victorindo Alam Lestari Stanley MA; and General Manager of General Affairs at PT Musim Mas Pierre Togar Sitanggang. These five defendants have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 5 years to 8 years, which have now become legally binding.

However, according to Ketut, from the MA's decision, the five convicts were not burdened with a compensation fee of IDR 6.47 trillion. Therefore, in order to maximize the recovery of state financial losses, the investigators subsequently designated three companies as corporate suspects, namely Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.

The emergence of speculation regarding politicization in Airlangga's examination does not need to be excessively responded to.

Examination of Airlangga and Lutfi was also carried out for evidence purposes. Investigators will summon anyone for questioning if the person's information is deemed necessary to make the case clear. "We don't summon someone based on pressure, orders, issues or rumours. All solely for the sake of proof. The investigators are on track and professional," said Ketut.

Regarding the summons, Kompas tried to confirm Lutfi. However, questions via the short message application were not answered.

Transparency

Separately, a researcher from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), Kurnia Ramadhana, is of the view that the emergence of speculation that there was politicization in the Airlangga investigation does not need to be treated excessively. This was considered reasonable because Airlangga is a national figure as well as a major politician, while the process of examining him took place in a political year.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Former Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Saut Situmorang (left) and Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana (right) provided comments to journalists after leaving the Supreme Court building together with several representatives of the Civil Society Coalition for Clean Elections, on Monday (12/6/2023) in Jakarta.

According to Kurnia, the important things to be considered regarding the examination of Airlangga and Lutfi in the corruption case of providing crude palm oil export facilities are the evidence that is possessed and the time of when the evidence is obtained. If the evidence or tools of evidence have been obtained by the investigator for a long time, while the examination is only carried out now, it certainly raises questions. It is important to transparently explain this matter to the public.

"Do not allow the Attorney General's Office to be used as a political tool to prosecute those who oppose certain parties in the executive," said Kurnia.