Jakarta Legal Aid Institute Opens Complaint Post for Victims of Adulterated Pertamax

KatadataOTO – A crude oil governance case involving high-ranking officials of Pertamina Patra Niaga was successfully uncovered by the Attorney General's Office a few days ago.

It is suspected that refinery products were manipulated by adulterating fuel (BBM) Pertalite to become Pertamax.

This has prompted responses from several parties, including the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta).

“This incident is increasingly sickening amidst the government's intensive efforts to reduce subsidized fuel,” wrote LBH Jakarta on their official website, Thursday (27/02).

Photo : Antara

LBH Jakarta believes the case has caused public unrest, especially among consumers of the state-owned enterprise.

This includes feeling deceived by Pertamina and experiencing deteriorating vehicle conditions due to Pertamax quality not meeting specifications.

“This shows that the state has failed in its duty to provide legal certainty for consumer protection,” they continued.

LBH Jakarta then stated that there is poor fuel governance. It was said to be a violation of citizens' rights as consumers to get the best quality fuel.

Based on the facts above, LBH Jakarta has opened a complaint center for victims of adulterated Pertamax.

“LBH Jakarta invites public participation to report problems and impacts experienced related to the alleged adulterated Pertamax case to the complaint center,” they asserted.

For those who wish to file a report, you can do so directly through the official LBH Jakarta website. The Complaint Center is open from February 25 to March 5, 2025.

Later, people will be required to fill in some personal data, such as email, name, phone number, and what fuel is used in your vehicle.

In addition, Pertamina consumers will also be asked for some evidence, if the driver has any.

Calls for Pertamax to Be Retested

On the other hand, to provide a sense of security and comfort to the public, there are calls for Pertamina's Pertamax to be retested.

Photo : Pertamina

“We urge the Director General of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) to re-examine the quality of Pertamina's fuel circulating in the market,” said Agus Suyatno, a Daily Executive of YLKI, to KatadataOTO on a different occasion.

Agus stated that this must be done by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to ensure there are no deviations from the quality standards set by the government.

Furthermore, this will provide certainty to the public that the fuel they are using complies with regulations.