REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan has clarified his stance to abstain from intervening and commenting on the corruption case, in which Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik had allegedly extorted funds in 2011-2013.
"As a fellow minister, naturally, I was concerned about it. But I should not interfere in it," Dahlan Iskan stated here on Monday.
According to Dahlan, as the state enterprises minister, he does not want to be affected by any form of intervention.
"There should not be any request from the boss though it is related to money," Dahlan noted.
In this regard, Dahlan lauded President Director of PT Pertamina Karen Agustiawan who has categorically discouraged any intervention in matters concerning her and the company.
"I am proud of Karen Agustiawan who has been able to ward off others trying to influence her," he emphasized.
Energy Minister Jero Wacik has been implicated as a suspect in a corruption case here on Wednesday for his alleged role in extortions carried out during his ministerial term in 2011-2012.
"Indeed, an order had been issued on September 2, 2014, regarding an investigation on suspect Jero Wacik of the Ministry of Energy in connection with a violation of Article 12, paragraph e, or Article 23 of Law No. 31 of 1999 in conjunction with Law No. 20 of 2001 and Article 421 of the Criminal Code," Zulkarnain, the KPK deputy chairman, announced at a press conference.
According to Article 12, paragraph e, a state official who acts to illegally create an advantage for himself/herself or others or who misuses his/her power to force others to provide something or pay for a favor is extortion.
Anyone proven guilty of violating the law may face a 20-year jail term and a maximum fine of Rp1 billion.
"After assuming the post of energy minister, Jero Wacik had ordered several employees to extort money, as he claimed additional operational funds over and above the budget allocations," another KPK Deputy Chairman Bambang Widjojanto revealed at the press conference.
He referred to several illegal activities committed to embezzle funds, such as procurements or kickbacks, and fictitious meetings to rake up nearly Rp9.9 billion.
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