“Regarding Riza Chalid being in Malaysia, I am as certain as possible. There is no other place he could stay comfortably,” Boyamin told ANTARA that contacted him from Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Boyamin added Riza Chalid is unlikely to be in other ASEAN member countries such as Laos, the Philippines, or Singapore.
“In Laos or the Philippines, he has no presence. Singapore has declared him persona non grata. He could enter but cannot reside there. So realistically, only Malaysia is an option,” he said.
He acknowledged MAKI has no public data confirming Chalid’s exact location, but expressed confidence he could be returned to Indonesia.
“There is already an official Interpol red notice. Extradition or deportation is possible. Many Indonesians have been returned for visa violations, especially those without passports who are undergoing legal processes,” Boyamin said.
However, he noted that the process could be more complicated if Chalid holds a passport from the United States or a European country.
“This is speculation. If he has no other passport, he can be returned through extradition or deportation. We will push for it and ask Malaysia not to protect him,” he added.
Boyamin also suggested that Indonesia’s representatives abroad, across 196 Interpol member countries, could collaborate to track Chalid’s movements.
“They can monitor whether Chalid is in Kuala Lumpur or Johor. Similar to how US embassies deploy CIA or FBI personnel for monitoring—spying is prohibited, but observation is allowed,” he said.
Previously, Indonesia’s National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol issued a red notice for Mohammad Riza Chalid (MRC) on January 23.
NCB Secretary Brigadier General Untung Widyatmoko confirmed that Chalid’s presence in an Interpol member country is being monitored.
“We have mapped and are tracking him. Teams are in the relevant country,” Untung said, adding that specific locations could not be disclosed to safeguard law enforcement operations.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) said Chalid, who is now listed under Interpol’s red notice, is believed to be in an ASEAN country.
Anang Supriatna, head of the AGO’s Legal Information Center, stated that extradition or deportation remains possible following the issuance of the red notice.
Chalid faces corruption charges related to crude oil and refinery management at PT Pertamina Subholding and its contractors during the 2018–2023 period, with the case currently in trial.
Related news: Interpol Issues red notice for Mohammad Riza Chalid
Related news: AGO indicates Riza Chalid hiding in ASEAN country
Translator: Rangga J, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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