The INDONESIAN —Bambang Sungkono, a registered tenant of a state-owned property in the Ancol area of North Jakarta, has issued an open letter to Indonesia’s Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, accusing the ministry of committing a “breach of contract” in relation to a lease agreement that has been in effect since 2019.
In his open letter, Bambang stated that he is the legal tenant under the Minister of Finance’s Decree No. S-651/MK.6/2019, dated September 18, 2019, which granted approval for the lease of a state asset formerly managed by PT PPA (Persero) located at Jalan Ancol Barat III Blok A5 No. 1–2, Penjaringan, North Jakarta.
Excerpts from Bambang Sungkono’s Open Letter to the Minister of Finance
Subject: Request for Protection Over the Ministry of Finance’s “Breach of Contract”
To:
The Honorable
Mr. Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa
Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia
With due respect,
Allow me, Bambang Sungkono, a citizen and the official tenant of a state-owned property based on the Minister of Finance’s Decree No. S-651/MK.6/2019 dated September 18, 2019, to submit this open letter as an appeal for justice and legal protection regarding the actions taken by the Ministry of Finance.
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Background and Chronology
Since 2019, I have been renting the neglected and heavily damaged state asset at a rate of Rp115 million per year for a three-year period, with a clause allowing renewal if the request was submitted at least three months before the contract expired.
I submitted my renewal request five months prior to expiration—earlier than required.
During the lease period, I personally invested approximately Rp2.3 billion to repair and restore the state asset, which had been abandoned for over 20 years in a severely damaged condition, lacking a roof and submerged in knee-deep water.
The renovation, which took eight months, included:
Landfill and floor concreting;
Roof replacement and structural repairs;
Construction of doors, walls, and perimeter fencing;
Addition of nearly 1,000 m² of new space, expanding the total building area from 1,500 m² to 2,500 m²;
PLN electrical installation;
Compensation payments to squatters previously occupying the property.
However, in 2024, the State Asset Management Agency (LMAN), claiming to be the new administrator of the property, suddenly demanded an increased rent of Rp1.4 billion per year—approximately 13 times the original rate.
Even more concerning, the Ministry of Finance transferred the management of the asset to LMAN while my lease agreement was still in force.
Violation of the Lease Agreement
Under Article 10 of the lease agreement, it is stated that:
1. Any disputes between the parties shall first be resolved through deliberation and mutual agreement.
2. If no agreement can be reached, the dispute shall be settled through the Central Jakarta District Court.
However, the Ministry of Finance never provided an opportunity for discussion or self-correction, which could have preserved the Ministry’s good name as an institution bearing the national emblem, the Garuda.
Instead, the case was handed over to LMAN, which has no direct legal relationship with me as the tenant under the Minister’s official decree.
LMAN subsequently evicted me and re-leased the property to another party, collecting rent of around Rp1.4 billion per year—without having made any investment or effort in restoring the property.
This, I believe, sets a negative precedent for a state institution of such stature. If a matter this minor cannot be handled properly, what about larger, more complex issues?
Deprived of any opportunity for deliberation, I was left with no choice but to file a lawsuit with the Central Jakarta District Court, as stipulated in the contract.
What is more shocking, the Ministry of Finance allegedly deployed 16 lawyers funded by the state budget to confront my lawsuit—an action that appears intended to obscure potential internal misconduct.
Appeal to the Minister
With all due respect, I hereby request that you, Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, kindly:
1. Take firm action against the internal misconduct within the Ministry of Finance that has caused material and moral harm to a citizen;
2. Initiate an internal audit and investigation into this case to determine whether my original lease agreement remains legally valid.
Closing Statement
I firmly believe that under your leadership, the Ministry of Finance will once again stand on the side of justice and uphold fairness for citizens who have contributed to restoring the value of state assets.
I submit this open letter with the sincere hope that it receives due attention and a fair resolution, in the interest of truth and justice.
Sincerely,
Bambang Sungkono
Official Tenant of State-Owned Property
Reporter: Prime News Post Representative
Photo: Documentation / Courtesy
