January 1, 2018 is one of the milestones in Pertamina for officially becoming the manager or operator of Mahakam Block after half a century this block is managed by PT Total E & P Indonesia (TEPI).
With the status as manager of Mahakam, Pertamina's predicate will increase to become oil and gas producer, large in Indonesia with a share of about 40% of national oil and gas production.
After reaching that status, Pertamina can also be said to be master in their own country. But the predicate cannot be achieved easily.
In order for Pertamina to be a host in its own country, in addition to the assertive attitude of Karen Agustiawan (Pertamina President Director 2010-2015) and other directors and directors, Pertamina's long-standing efforts or "struggles" Mahakam managed by Pertamina.
Karen Agustiawan
These stakeholders include national figures, members of the People's Legislative Assembly, activists, Pertamina's union, oil and gas and state-owned enterprises, student executive bodies throughout Indonesia, party officials, mass organizations, NGOs, etc. They have been fighting since 2012 through various advocacy steps such as seminars, attitude statements, demonstrations, raising Petak Mahakam, RDPU to DPR, demands to the Presidential Palace, reporting potential corruption to the KPK, etc.
It turned out that the stakeholders "were forced to advocate in order to face the attitude of the nation's own state officials who are more aligned with foreign interests than defending the interests of SOEs. The two top officials who want foreigners to stay in the Mahakam Block are Jero Wacik and Rudi Rubiandini. In addition, there is also support from officials in SKK Migas and several members of Parliament from a number of parties.
Jero Wacik
To support Total and Inpex, they are reckless and unashamedly uncovering various illogical reasons and public lies. Fortunately, the advocacy movement is getting bigger and continuing so that the two executive officers are void of intention and later went to jail.
Rudi Rubiandini
The irony is that this long struggle has not ended yet. Mahakam block has not been fully controlled by Pertamina. Should have to dispose of some shares (share down), the cost to Pertamina is not yet clear and very vulnerable to be corrupted.
On the contrary, foreign parties have not willingly let go of Mahakam block. In addition, without shame, there are still native people who support foreigners, hunt rente and or "piggyback" to be able to have "shares" Mahakam Block. More ironic, it turns out the attitude of a number of officials in power today is similar to the attitude of previous officials.
This is indicated by the following statements:
First, Minister of ESDM Ignasius Jonan once invited Total to re-manage the Mahakam Block post-2017. The ESDM Ministry said that as long as Pertamina becomes the majority shareholder, the issue of operators will not be questioned. The government only emphasizes that the Mahakam block production remains stable and does not decline. How can operatorship problems be considered unimportant?
Ignasius Jonan
Secondly, the ESDM Minister once said it would give foreigners a chance to own 39% of post-2017 shares. This was again stated by Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arcandra Tahar in Jakarta in August 2017 (Bisnis, 25/8). Arcandra also said: The ESDM Minister will issue a Decree to meet the demand of TEPI and Inpex to enlarge the Mahakam block to 39%.
Arcandra Tahar
Arcandra said the space for the Mahakam Block contractor after the contract ends is still referring to the desire of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources lgnasius Jonan with a maximum portion of 39%. Total is welcome to discuss this with Pertamina and SKK Migas.
Whereas the previous Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Sudirman Said, has set the maximum share down allowed by the government is 30%! The mechanism set forth in Regulation of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources No. 15/2015 is the government set Pertamina as an operator with 100% right.
Sudirman Said
After that Pertamina can make the reduction of interest (share down) to other parties who give the business the maximum benefit. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources facilitates the decision-making process in relation to the distribution of interests among the parties. After going through a series of discussions, the ESDM Ministry decided that the Indonesian control 70% shares, while Total and Inpex acquired 30% shares.
In line with Sudirman Said's position in 2015, Pertamina's directors repeatedly said they were not interested in increasing share down to 39%. Pertamina president director Elia Massa Manik said, if above that (30%), the realm is no longer in us.
Elia Massa Manik
When I joined (appointed as president), this coincidence has been discussed with the Minister. This instruction is still 30%. So the rising or not share down to the ESDM affairs, "said Manik in Meeting Room of Commission VII, Jakarta, Tuesday (6/6/2017).
Upstream Director of Pertamina Syamsu Alam also behaves similarly.
"To share down there has been no further discussion with Total / Inpex," he said.
Syamsu Alam
The following month, Syamsu Alam said, "This Mahakam block is our mandate, still the same. We are authorized to share down to BUMD 10%. The status is unchanged, the figure of 30% or 39%, which we know is yes 30%. Because it's there
to us."
Until December 26, 2017 Syamsu Alam claimed not to know the government letter to Pertamina related to the change of share down. On the other hand, the Ministry of EMR declared to have issued a letter allowing Pertamina to abandon participation rights in the Mahakam Block by 39% to TEPI & Inpex. Deputy Minister of EMR Arcandra said the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has issued a letter of change regarding the share of the division of Pertamina's participation rights in managing the Mahakam Block which is actually only 30% to 39%.
"It's already up to 39%," said Arcandra at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta, Friday (22/12/2017).
We are sorry to see the attitudes of ESDM Ministry officials (as well as in other "ministries") above, rather than protecting the state-owned enterprises themselves but are very enthusiastic in supporting foreigners to own 39% shares, whereas with the bigger shares owned by BUMNs, the greater the potential benefits gained for the people to enjoy!
Moreover, this Mahakam block is an oil and gas block that has been producing and the level of business risk has become low. Thus giving the opportunity to share 30% down to foreign, for us (IRESS), it is a policy that
disadvantageous. Especially if it should rise to 39% as the "fought" Jonan et al.
As alluded to above, generally the motives of officials precisely siding foreign countries rather than the state itself are the hunt for rent and political support. However, IRESS also obtained information from a friend, a former High official of the ministry, that there are some unscrupulous officials to share the Mahakam block. He mentioned these elements want to achieve big profits through "cooperation" with foreign companies.
That is why some are struggling so hard to share Mahakam stocks for foreigners need to be allocated more. For friends, prominent figures, activists, and students who have been advocating the Mahakam block, including tens of thousands of signatories of the "Mahakam Block Petition for the People", IRESS appealed to continue guarding and fighting for the optimal Mahakam Block and free from Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism (KKN) for Pertamina.
The struggle is not over.
For that purpose let's continue the advocacy and make sure that the maximum share down is only 30%, the direct appointment of TEPI & Inpex must be canceled, the method of choosing partner through open tender, and the price received by Pertamina to share down is the best and free from corruption.
IN INDONESIA
Blok Mahakam: Perjuangan Belum Usai!
Tanggal 1 Januari 2018 merupakan salah satu in tonggak bersejarah bagi Pertamina karena secara resmi menjadi pengelola atau operator Blok Mahakam setelah setengah abad blok ini dikelola PT Total E&P Indonesia (TEPI).
Dengan status sebagai pengelola Mahakam, predikat Pertamina pun akan meningkat menjadi penghasil migas ter-
besar di Tanah AIr dengan share sekitar 40% dari produksi migas nasional.
Setelah meraih status tersebut, Pertamina pun dapat dikatakan akan menjadi tuan di negeri sendiri. Namun predikat itu tidaklah dapat diraih dengan mudah.
Agar Pertamina menjadi tuan di negeri sendiri, di samping sikap tegas Karen Agustiawan (Dirut Pertamina 2010-2015) serta sejumlah dirut dan direktur lain, upaya atau “perjuangan" panjang stakeholders Pertamina justru sangat berperan untuk memastikan Blok
Mahakam dikelola Pertamina.
Stakeholders tersebut meliputi tokoh-tokoh nasional, anggota DPR, para aktivis, serikat pekerja Pertamina, migas dan BUMN , badan-badan eksekutif mahasiswa seluruh Indonesia, pengurus partai, ormas, LSM, dll. Mereka berjuang sejak 2012 melalui berbagai langkah advokasi berupa seminar, pernyataan sikap, demonstrasi, penggalangan Petisi Mahakam, RDPU ke DPR, penyampaian
tuntutan ke Istana Presiden, pelaporan potensi korupsi ke KPK,dll.
Ternyata para stakeholders “terpaksa melakukan advokasi dalam rangka menghadapi sikap bangsa sendiri para pejabat negara yang lebih memihak asing daripada membela kepentingan BUMN. Dua pejabat utama yang menginginkan asing tetap bertahan di Blok Mahakam adalah Jero Wacik dan Rudi Rubiandini. Di samping itu ada pula dukungan dari pejabat di SKK Migas dan beberapa anggota DPR dari sejumlah partai.
Untuk mendukung Total dan Inpex, mereka nekat dan tidak malu mengungkap berbagai alasan tidak logis dan kebohongan publik. Untunglah gerakan advokasi semakin besar dan terus berlanjut sehingga kedua pejabat eksekutif tersebut batal menjalankan niat dan belakangan justru masuk penjara.
Ironisnya saat ini perjuangan panjang tersebut belum juga berakhir. Blok Mahakam belum seutuhnya dikuasai Pertamina.
Seandainya harus melepas sebagian saham (share down), biaya yang harus dibayar ke Pertamina pun belum jelas jumlahnya serta sangat rawan untuk dikorupsi.
Sebaliknya pihak-pihak asing belum rela melepas kenikmatan Blok Mahakam. Di samping itu, tanpa rasa malu, masih ada saja oknum pribumi yang mendukung asing, berburu rente dan atau “membonceng" untuk dapat memiliki "saham" Blok Mahakam.
Lebih ironis, ternyata sikap sejumlah pejabat yang berkuasa saat ini mirip dengan sikap pejabat sebelumnya.
Hal ini terindikasi dari pernyataan-pernyataan berikut :
Pertama, Menteri ESDM Ignasius Jonan pernah mempersilakan Total mengelola kembali Blok Mahakam pasca-2017. Kementerian ESDM mengatakan asalkan Pertamina menjadi pemegang saham mayoritas, mengenai masalah operator tidak akan dipersoalkan. Pemerintah hanya menekankan agar produksi Blok Mahakam tetap stabil dan tidak mengalami pknurunan. Bagai-
mana bisa masalah operatorship dianggap tidak penting?
Kedua, Menteri ESDM pernah mengatakan akan memberikan kesempatan kepada asing memiliki 39% saham pasca-2017. Hal ini kembali dinyatakan Wakil Menteri ESDM Arcandra Tahar di Jakarta pada Agustus 2017 (Bisnis, 25/8). Arcandra juga pernah mengatakan: Menteri ESDM akan menerbitkan Surat keputusan untuk memenuhi tuntutan TEPI dan Inpex untuk memperbesar saham Blok Mahakam menjadi 39%.
Kata Arcandra, ruang bagi kontraktor Blok Mahakam setelah kontrak berakhir masih mengacu pada keinginan Menteri ESDM lgnasius Jonan dengan porsi maksimum 39%. Total dipersilakan untuk mendiskusikan hal ini dengan Pertamina dan SKK Migas.
Padahal Menteri ESDM sebelumnya, Sudirman Said, telah menetapkan share down maksimum yang diperkenankan pemerintah adalah 30%! Mekanisme yang diatur dalam Peraturan Menteri ESDM Nomor 15/2015 ini adalah pemerintah menetapkan Pertamina sebagai operator dengan hak 100%.
Setelah itu Pertamina dapat melakukan pengurangan interes (share down) kepada pihak lain yang secara bisnis memberikan manfaat maksimal. Kementrian ESDM memfasilitasi proses pengambilan keputusan berkaitan dengan pembagian interes di antara para pihak. Setelah melalui serangkaian pembahasan, Kementerian ESDM memutuskan pihak Indonesia mengontrol saham 70%, sedangkan Total dan Inpex memperoleh saham 30%.
Sejalan dengan sikap Sudirman Said pada 2015 tersebut, direksi Pertamina berulang kali mengatakan tidak berminat meningkatkan share down menjadi 39%. Dirut Pertamina Elia Massa Manik mengatakan, Jika di atas itu (30%), ranahnya bukan lagi ada pada kami. Sewaktu saya join (diangkat menjadi dirut), kebetulan ini sudah dibicarakan dengan Pak Menteri. Instruksi ini pun sampai seka-
rang masih 30%. Jadi naik atau tidaknya share down menjadi urusan ESDM," kata Manik di Ruang Rapat Komisi VII, Jakarta, Selasa (6/ 6/ 2017).
Direktur Hulu Pertamina Syamsu Alam juga bersikap sama.
“Untuk share down belum ada pembicaraan lebih lanjut dengan Total/ Inpex,” katanya.
Bulan berikutnya, Syams Alam berkata, “Blok Mahakam ini mandat yang kita terima, masih sama. Kita diberi kewenangan untuk melakukan share down ke BUMD 10%. Status itu tidak berubah, angka 30% atau 39%, yang kita kenal itu ya 30%. Karena itu yang ada pada kita."
Hingga 26 Desember 2017 Syamsu mengaku belum mengetahui surat pemerintah ke Pertamina terkait dengan perubahan share down. Di sisi lain, Kementrian ESDM menyatakan telah mengeluarkan surat yang memperbolehkan Pertamina melepas hak partisipasi di Blok Mahakam sebesar 39% ke TEPI & Inpex. Wakil Menteri ESDM Arcandra mengatakan, Kementrian ESDM sudah menerbitkan surat perubahan mengenai porsi pembagian hak partisipasi Pertamina dalam mengelola Blok Mahakam yang sebenarnya hanya 30% menjadi 39%.
"Kan sudah ada suratnya. Boleh up to 39%," kata Arcandra di Kantor Kementrian ESDM, Jakarta, Jumat (22/12/2017).
Kita miris melihat sikap pejabat-pejabat Kementerian ESDM (juga di “kementrian lain") yang ada di atas. Mereka bukannya melindungi BUMN bangsa sendiri, tetapi justru sangat antusias mendukung asing untuk memiliki saham 39%. Padahal dengan semakin besar saham yang dimiliki BUMN, semakin besar pula potensi keuntungan yang diperoleh untuk dinikmati rakyat!
Apalagi Blok Mahakam ini merupakan blok migas yang telah berproduksi dan tingkat risiko bisnisnya pun menjadi rendah. Dengan begitu memberikan kesempatan share down 30% saja kepada asing, bagi kami (IRESS), sudah merupakan kebijakan yang merugikan. Apalagi jika harus naik menjadi 39% seperti yang "diperjuangkan"Jonan dkk.
Seperti disinggung di atas, umumnya motif oknum pejabat justru memihak asing daripada BUMN bangsa sendiri adalah perburuan rente dan dukungan politik. Namun IRESS juga memperoleh informasi dari seorang sahabat, mantan pejabat Tinggi kementerian, bahwa ada beberapa oknum pejabat yang sangat berminat untuk ikut memiliki saham Blok Mahakam. Beliau menyebutkan, oknurn-oknum ini ingin meraih untung besar melalui "kerja sama" dengan perusahaan asing tersebut.
ltulah sebabnya mengapa ada yang berjuang habis-habisan agar share down saham Mahakam untuk asing justru perlu dialokasikan lebih besar. Bagi para sahabat, tokoh, aktivis, dan mahasiswa yang selama ini ikut mengadvokasi Blok Mahakam, termasuk puluhan ribu penanda-tangan “Petisi Blok Mahakam untuk Rakyat", IRESS mengimbau untuk tetap mengawal dan memperjuangkan penguasaan Blok Mahakam secara optimal dan bebas dari KKN bagi Pertamina.
Perjuangan belum usai.
Untuk itu mari kita lanjutkan advokasi dan pastikan bahwa share down maksimal hanya 30%, penunjukan langsung TEPI & Inpex harus dibatalkan, metode pemilihan partner melalui tender terbuka, serta harga yang diterima Pertamina untuk share down tersebut adalah yang terbaik dan bebas dari korupsi.
Koran Sindo, Page-4, Saturday, Jan 6, 2018