Director General Of The Ministry Of Trade Becomes Suspect In Cooking Oil Case, DPR Will Summon Trade Minister Lutfi Next Week

Minister of Trade M Lutfi/DOK VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - The DPR will summon the Minister of Trade, M Lutfi, next week to ask about the problem of the scarcity and high price of cooking oil that people are currently facing.

Including asking about the appointment of the Director General of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Trade Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana as a suspect by the Attorney General's Office in the case of alleged corruption in the provision of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) export facilities.

The chairman of the DPR, Puan Maharani, said that the determination of the suspect was one of the focuses that would be mentioned in the summoning of the Minister of Trade Lutfi.

"Of course, to ask about the scarcity of migraines and the internal problems that have occurred. Why did it turn out like this?" said Puan at the DPR building, Friday, April 22.

Although the DPR is currently in recess, Puan ensured that the summons of Trade Minister Lutfi is still according to the announced plan, namely, next week before Eid.

"God willing, I will receive the report, maybe next week there will be a meeting with the Minister of Trade during the recess," said Puan.

Previously, Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin announced four suspects in the alleged corruption case in granting export facilities for Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and its derivatives, which occurred between January 2021 and March 2022.

The four suspects, namely the Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade, Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana. Then, Master Parulian Tumanggor as Commissioner of PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, Stanley MA as Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs of PT Pelita Agung Agrindustri/Permata Hijau Group, and Picare Tagore Sitanggang as General Manager of the General Affairs Section of PT Musim Mas.

Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) the Attorney General's Office Febrie Adriansyah ensured that his agency would examine all officials of the Ministry of Trade regarding allegations of corruption in providing CPO export facilities which resulted in a shortage of cooking oil.

In addition, Febrie also revealed, apart from the three suspects from the export companies named as suspects, there are 88 companies that export CPO which will also be investigated regarding corruption cases that caused the shortage of cooking oil.

"In this period there were 88 companies that we checked, it's true that the exports were issued, they have fulfilled the DMO in the domestic market. If he doesn't, then he can be a suspect," said Febrie, Wednesday (20/4).