Jakarta. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is planning to issue a red notice and place fugitive businessman Mohammad Riza Chalid (MRC) on the wanted list after he repeatedly failed to respond to official summons in a multibillion-dollar corruption case tied to state-owned oil giant Pertamina.

Riza, a suspect in one of Indonesia’s biggest-ever graft cases, has failed to appear for questioning on three separate occasions. His no-show by the final deadline on Monday prompted prosecutors to escalate legal action, according to AGO spokesman Anang Supriatna.

“The red notice request for Riza Chalid is still being processed,” Anang told reporters in Jakarta. “Investigators are completing the necessary documents and requirements. This is the third official summons, and as of today, there has been no confirmation from him or his family.”

The AGO had sent Riza a formal summons two weeks ago, publicly announced in national media in accordance with legal procedures. With no response, authorities are preparing to list him as a fugitive and seek international assistance to locate and extradite him.

The corruption case alleges that Riza, in collusion with Pertamina officials, orchestrated fraudulent crude oil procurement and leased fuel terminals without operational necessity between 2018 and 2023. The scheme is believed to have cost the state an estimated Rp 285 trillion ($17.5 billion).

Despite being formally named a suspect, Riza remains at large and is widely believed to be living overseas. Anti-corruption watchdog MAKI recently claimed to have traced him to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, alleging he may have marital ties to Malaysian royalty. The group also cited photographs showing Riza with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Sultan of Kedah in 2022, stoking speculation that he may be under high-level protection.

So far, Riza is one of nine suspects in the sweeping Pertamina investigation. Prosecutors say he secured contracts for two of his companies, Tangki Merak and Orbit Terminal Merak, to manage fuel storage facilities at Merak Port, bypassing Pertamina’s internal vetting processes and despite no operational need for the terminals.

The AGO has also seized assets linked to Riza, including Rp 833 million in cash, as part of its ongoing efforts to recover state losses.

“We are still giving him the opportunity to cooperate,” Anang said. “But if he continues to ignore legal procedures, we will take firmer action, including seeking international assistance through Interpol.”

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