JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—The shareholders of PT Pelindo Jasa Maritim (SPJM) have removed Silfester Matutina as an independent commissioner only five days after his appointment. This ended a brief tenure that drew scrutiny over his unresolved criminal sentence.

Silfester was appointed on September 18, through a shareholders’ resolution outside a general meeting. His dismissal took effect on September 23. The decision followed the shareholders’ evaluation of the composition of the company’s supervisory board, according to SPJM.

Tubagus Patrick Tribudi Utama, SPJM’s senior vice president for corporate secretariat, said the company had followed the applicable corporate procedure.

“After conducting an evaluation and considering various matters, the shareholders of PT Pelindo Jasa Maritim decided to dismiss Mr. Silfester Matutina from his position as independent commissioner on September 23, 2026, in accordance with the applicable mechanisms and regulations,” Patrick said in a written statement on Thursday.

He added that the appointment and removal of commissioners were the shareholders’ responsibility. These actions required approval from state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo), SPJM’s parent company. The company did not disclose the specific findings behind the evaluation.

The appointment attracted public attention because Silfester, chairman of the Solidaritas Merah Putih volunteer organization, was convicted of criminal defamation involving former vice president Jusuf Kalla.

In its 2019 cassation ruling, the Supreme Court found Silfester guilty under Article 311, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Code. It also increased his prison sentence to 18 months. The ruling, registered as Decision No. 287 K/Pid/2019, is legally binding.

However, recent reports indicate that prosecutors had not yet carried out the sentence when Silfester joined SPJM.

Attorney General ST Burhanuddin said in September 2025 that prosecutors were searching for him. This was after ordering the South Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office to execute the judgment.

The court later dismissed Silfester’s judicial-review petition because he failed to attend the hearing.

Silfester had also served as an independent commissioner at state-owned food holding company PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (ID FOOD).

An official company management report records his appointment under a State-Owned Enterprises Ministry decree dated March 18, 2025.

SPJM stopped short of saying that the criminal case or public objections directly caused the dismissal. Patrick nevertheless acknowledged the importance of external scrutiny.

“We appreciate the public’s attention and oversight on this matter as input for continuously strengthening the implementation of good corporate governance,” he said.

The rapid reversal renews scrutiny of how state-linked companies vet candidates for senior positions. It also underscores the need for companies to conduct transparent background checks before finalizing appointments.