Maroef Sjamsoeddin, a former TNI Air Force (Air Force) and former intelligence official, was officially appointed as Managing Director of Mind ID, Holding of State -Owned Enterprises (BUMN) who manages the mining sector. He replaces Hendi Prio Santoso and will lead five large mining companies, namely PT Antam Tbk, PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Bukit Asam Tbk, PT Inalum, and PT Timah Tbk.
Maroef’s appointment attracted public attention, not only because of his strong military background, but also because of its work in the world of corporations and intelligence. He is the younger brother of Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Indonesian Defense Minister, who added to the spotlight on his profile.
Maroef Sjamsoeddin Profile: From the Military to the Corporation
Maroef is a retired Air Force with the last rank of young Marshal. He graduated from the Air Force Academy (AAU) in 1980 and came from the Typical Forces Corps (Paskhas). While serving in the Air Force, he had served as Commander of the 465 Paskhas squadron, which is now known as a fast motion forces (Kopasgat). In addition, Maroef was also assigned as Indonesia’s defense Attache in Brazil.
In the field of intelligence, Maroef has an impressive track record. He once held a strategic position at the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), including as a counter-separatist Director, Defense and Security Expert Staff (Defense and Security), and Deputy Head of BIN 2011-2014.
After retiring from the military and intelligence world, Maroef turned to the corporate sector. He had served as President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) in January 2015, replacing Rozik Boedioro Soetjipto. Although only lasting one year, his experience in Freeport gave him a deep insight about the mining industry.
The scandal of “Papa Ask for Shares” and Controversial Traces Records
One of the moments that raised the name Maroef to the surface was his involvement in the “Papa Ask for Shares” scandal. While leading Freeport, he recorded a meeting with former Indonesian Parliament Speaker Setya Novanto and businessman Riza Chalid at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, on June 8, 2015. In the recording, Setya Novanto and Riza Chalid were said to have asked for 20 percent of Freeport shares and 49 percent of power generation shares that would be built by companies in Papua.
The recording was then handed over to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) at that time, Sudirman Said, who reported the case to the Honorary Court of the House of Representatives (MKD) of the Indonesian Parliament. This scandal is one of the big corruption cases that shake the world of Indonesian politics.
Read too: KPK is absent at the pretrial hearing Hasto Kristiyanto, because it is still composing material
New challenges in mind id
As Managing Director of Mind ID, Maroef will face a number of big challenges. He must ensure that the five mining companies under the auspices of Mind ID operate efficiently and continuously, while maintaining national interests in the midst of global competition.
Strong military background and experience in the field of intelligence is expected to bring a disciplinary and strategic approach in managing these mining companies. In addition, his experience in Freeport is also expected to make a positive contribution in dealing with the complexity of the mining industry.