AGO (the Attorney General's Office) revealed the practice of mixing fuel by certain individuals in the alleged corruption case at PT Pertamina (a state-owned oil and gas company) in Indonesia.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) revealed the practice of mixing fuel by certain individuals in the alleged corruption case at PT Pertamina (a state-owned oil and gas company) in Indonesia.

According to the AGO, in the 2018-2023 period, mixing was found between Pertamax (RON 92) and Pertalite (RON 90) to save production costs.

The AGO also ensured that the practice had been stopped and now the Pertamax fuel circulating at gas stations is in accordance with applicable quality standards.

Expert Advisor to the Research and Development Center of the Golkar Party, Prof. Dr. Henry Indraguna SH. MH said that there were two things that needed to be observed from the uncovering of corruption and collusion practices of state administrators, namely Pertamina Patra Niaga (a subsidiary of PT Pertamina) and private officials.

First, although there were cases of mixing in the past, the AGO has ensured that the Pertamax currently circulating is no longer mixed with other fuels.

"Second, this case opens the public's eyes to the importance of transparency and supervision in the fuel industry that in fact regulators and operators in the public service obligation (PSO) of fuel for the people are also misused by policy makers," Prof. Henry told suarakarya.id in Jakarta, Thursday (Feb. 27).

As a country that depends on the energy sector, he said, it is necessary to ensure that every drop of fuel consumed has good quality and is safe for people's vehicle engines.

"I appreciate the performance of the Attorney General's Office in taking firm action against state and private officials involved in this fuel adulteration practice so that we can feel safer. This is part of the state's presence to provide a sense of security. Law enforcement officers are quite capable of working even though state losses have occurred," Prof. Henry noted.

To avoid such a case to recur, Prof. Henry asked for public supervision. The public, as consumers, can also play a role in maintaining the quality of products circulating in the market.

One way that can be done is to report if you find indications of adulteration or a decrease in fuel quality. For example, after the fuel is filled in our vehicle, engine damage or corrosion occurs.

"It can also be done by more actively accessing information related to the transparency of fuel prices and quality provided by large companies such as Pertamina through digital platforms," ​​he explained.

Public Education

In addition, the need for public education is also an important thing. Using fuel according to vehicle recommendations, and understanding how to check fuel quality (such as checking the smell or color of fuel in vehicles), can be the first step to prevent fraud or a decrease in the quality of fuel in circulation.

Actually, technically, if Premium (RON 88), Pertalite (RON 90), and Pertamax (RON 92) are mixed, the resulting mixture will have varying octane numbers. RON = Research Octane Number

If more Premium and Pertalite are used, the resulting mixture will have a RON of around 88-90. However, if more Pertamax is used, the results can be close to RON 92, but if the percentage is too low, the octane number can drop slightly.

This mixed fuel has a significant impact on the engine, especially for vehicles that require fuel with a high octane number, such as those recommended to use Pertamax (RON 92).

Engines designed for higher RON can experience knocking, which is caused by imperfect combustion when using fuel with a lower octane number.

This knocking can damage engine components such as pistons and valves in the long term.

In addition, the engine can also lose performance because fuel with a low octane number cannot handle high compression optimally.

The use of mixed fuel with a low octane number also tends to make the engine more wasteful in fuel consumption and reduce energy efficiency.

Engines that should get fuel with a high RON cannot achieve maximum performance, so more fuel is needed to achieve the same speed or power.

People's distrust

The professor from Unissula (Universitas Islam Sultan Agung or Sultan Agung Islam University) in Indonesia’s Semarang city said that the practice carried out on the suspect was a form of betrayal of the state.

As a result of this incident, Pertamina as a symbol of the country's energy sovereignty could fall to its lowest point. The country is also disadvantaged because it has to pay subsidies for Pertalite and Premium even though both are sold on the market as Pertamax.

Another state loss that cannot be converted into financial value is the decline in public trust.

"If the government is not careful, it could become a hot issue that triggers domestic political instability," said the Doctor of Law from UNS Surakarta University (a state university in Indonesia’s Solo city) and Borobudur University Jakarta.

Then the most disadvantaged is the community. In addition to getting low-quality products, it is also like being pitted against the government.

In this case, the effect is to reduce public trust in state administrators.

"Therefore, the actions of individuals in Pertamina and the private sector must be punished severely. It is even possible that this extraordinary crime can be classified as rebellion or treason against the people. So it must be given the maximum punishment and must be impoverished. This is because the impact is very extraordinary. What is dangerous is the emergence of public distrust in state administrators starting from BUMN (State-owned Enterprises), cabinet members to the Head of State," he explained.

For that, Prof. Henry asked President Prabowo to be firm in eliminating the evil ‘Dracula’ people who suck people's money around him.

"We want President Prabowo, who has been elected by the majority of the people, to be able to clean up elite individuals in BUMN and his government. History will record that in Mr. Prabowo's government there are no more people who harm the people and burden the state," said the Deputy Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Advocates Congress (locally known as its abbreviation of KAI).

Reporting by Indonesia Window