TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Oil businessman Muhammad Riza Chalid has been named a suspect in a corruption case involving the management of crude oil and refinery products at PT Pertamina (Persero) from 2018 to 2023.
The Attorney General's Office alleges that Riza and eight other individuals caused state losses amounting to Rp193.7 trillion.
“MRC is the beneficial owner of PT Orbit Terminal Merak (OTM). His current whereabouts are believed to be outside Indonesia,” said Abdul Qohar, Director of Investigation at the Attorney General’s Office during a press conference held at the Attorney General’s Circular Building in Jakarta on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
A Tempo magazine report published in the July 20, 2025 edition titled "What Evidence Does the Prosecutor's Office Have to Trap Riza Chalid?" noted that the testimonies of two former Pertamina officials led to the oil tycoon’s designation as a suspect.
For over a decade, Riza, often referred to as “the gasoline godfather”, has been mentioned in numerous legal cases but has consistently avoided prosecution.
The two former Pertamina officials are Hanung Budya Yuktyanta, former Marketing and Trade Director, and Alfian Nasution, who served as Vice President of Supply and Distribution at Pertamina from 2011 to 2015.
According to the report, three sources familiar with the investigation said that Hanung had long maintained a close relationship with Riza. The two often met in person.
Hanung had also served as a director at Petral, a Pertamina subsidiary that was later disbanded over allegations of serving as a hub for the oil mafia. Riza was previously linked to a corruption case involving Petral but managed to avoid legal consequences.
The Attorney General’s Office also received testimony from Alfian Nasution, who was said to be a close associate of Hanung.
Both men reportedly influenced key business decisions at PT OPM. While Riza’s name does not appear in the official records of PT OPM or other related companies, investigators suspect he controlled the operations of firms affiliated with PT OPM.
Harli Siregar, Head of Public Information at the Attorney General’s Office, did not deny this information. He confirmed that Riza’s name came up in the testimonies of several suspects and said there is supporting documentation. “The evidence is solid,” Harli told Tempo.
Abdul Qohar further revealed that Riza, along with Gading Ramadhan Joedo, Hanung, and Alfian, allegedly conspired to lease oil fuel storage tanks through direct appointment from PT OPM.
Qohar said the four individuals are suspected of working together to advance the tank leasing plan, even though Pertamina did not require additional storage capacity at the time.
Gading, who is the Managing Director of PT OPM and a Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim Nusantara, was previously named a suspect.
He is also known to have connections with Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, Riza Chalid’s son, who is a shareholder of PT Navigator Khatulistiwa and PT Jenggala Maritim. Kerry had also been named a suspect in this case.
M. Khory Alfarizi, Lani Diana, Riky Ferdianto, and Hanin Marwah contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor's Choice: Something Amiss with the Investigation of Riza Chalid
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