Palm Oil Corruption Case, Aceh Prosecutor's Office Examines Former West Aceh Regent

BANDA ACEH - Aceh High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) investigators examined and questioned former Regent Ramli MS regarding the investigation into alleged corruption in the people's palm oil rejuvenation program (PSR).

Head of the Legal Information and Public Relations Section of the Attorney General's Office, Ali Rasab Lubis, said that the examination of the former West Aceh Regent was a witness.

"Former West Aceh Regent Ramli MS was examined as a witness. He was examined in his capacity as regional head during the people's palm oil rejuvenation program," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 24.

Ali Rasab said the former Regent of West Aceh Ramli MS was present at the Aceh Prosecutor's Office alone. The examination took place from 10.00 to 13.30 WIB.

"The investigation of related parties in the investigation of alleged corruption in the rejuvenation of palm oil continues. Including confiscation of the suspect's assets and Rp17.6 billion in cash related to the people's oil palm rejuvenation program," he said.

Previously, Aceh Attorney General's Office investigators named two suspects for alleged corruption in the people's oil palm rejuvenation program. The two suspects, namely SM, who served as Head of the West Aceh Regency Plantation Service and ZZ, Chairman of the Mandiri Manufacturer Cooperative Jaya Beusare.

In investigating the case, investigators confiscated Rp17.6 billion from 10 cooperative accounts. In addition to money, investigators also confiscated assets in the form of two cars along with their documents.

Then, confiscated houses and land with an area of 225.5 square meters, land covering an area of 1,307 square meters. The two assets are located in Johan Pahlawan District, West Aceh Regency.

In addition to confiscating money in accounts and assets in the form of houses and land, investigators also received a refund from the assistance of the people's oil palm rejuvenation program of Rp. 247.5 million.

The investigation into the alleged corruption of the people's palm oil rejuvenation program began when the Mandiri Jaya Beusare Producer Cooperative in 2017 submitted a proposal to the Palm Oil Rejuvenation Fund Management Agency through the West Aceh Regency Plantation Service.

The proposal was approved and the program was carried out in 10 stages in the span of 2018 to 2020 with a total budget of more than IDR 75.6 billion. The number of farmers for the people's oil palm rejuvenation program proposed was 1,207 people with land reaching 2,831 hectares.

However, based on the identification report of the Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University using satellite imagery and field inspection of the Aceh Attorney General's Office, part of the land proposed to receive the PSR program is still in a forest condition and has never been planted with palm oil.

In fact, the requirement to obtain PSR program funds is land with oil palm plants aged 25 years and productivity below 10 tons per hectare. However, the reality of the land proposed is still a forest area.

In addition to the forest, the land proposed is still in the bush, as well as vacant land that has not been planted. Then, the company's oil palm plantation land (HGU) was also proposed as a recipient of the PSR program.

Based on the results of the case exposure, the suspects ZZ and SM are the parties responsible for the alleged corruption in the oil palm rejuvenation program.

"The two suspects are suspected of violating Article 2 in conjunction with Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was changed to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption," said Ali Rasab.