Indonesian Fugitive Oil Tycoon Riza Chalid Traced to Kuala Lumpur, Says Minister
Bekasi. Fugitive oil businessman Muhammad Riza Chalid, wanted in a massive corruption case involving state-owned energy giant Pertamina, has been traced to Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia’s Immigration and Corrections Minister Agus Andrianto said on Tuesday.
Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2023, Riza conspired with Pertamina executives to orchestrate fraudulent crude oil procurement and lease fuel terminals with no operational necessity, causing an estimated Rp 285 trillion ($17.5 billion) in state losses.
“Our analysis indicates that he is in Kuala Lumpur. We are coordinating the next steps with Malaysian authorities,” Agus told reporters during a visit to a correctional facility in Cikarang, Bekasi. He said the information has been reported to President Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian law enforcement.
Riza is among 18 suspects in the sweeping Pertamina investigation. Prosecutors say he secured contracts for 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 Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has seized assets linked to Riza, including luxury vehicles, real estate, and Rp 833 million in cash, as part of ongoing efforts to recover state losses. Authorities allege Pertamina subsidiaries colluded with private firms to mix low-grade fuel and sell it as premium, while entering into business arrangements severely detrimental to the state.
According to investigators, Riza used his influence to push through a costly terminal lease that inflicted major financial harm on the government. He is widely regarded as the most high-profile figure among the suspects, who also include several former top Pertamina executives:
- Riva Siahaan – former CEO, Pertamina Patra Niaga
- Yoki Firnandi – former CEO, Pertamina International Shipping
- Agus Purwono – former VP of Feedstock Management, Pertamina International Refinery
- Alfian Nasution – former VP of Supply & Distribution, Pertamina
- Hanung Budya – former Director of Marketing & Commerce, Pertamina
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