SYL Orders Subordinates To Collect Money From Work Units In The Ministry Of Agriculture

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo allegedly ordered his right hand to collect money from various work units while still serving at the Ministry of Agriculture. There were six witnesses examined, including the Director General of Food Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture Suwandi and the Director General of Horticulture of the Ministry of Agriculture Prihasto Setyanto. "The witnesses were present and their knowledge was investigated, among others, regarding the alleged order and direction of the suspect SYL through several trusted people to collect a sum of money in various work units in the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture," said KPK News Section Head Ali Fikri to reporters in a written statement quoted Thursday, January 18. In addition to Suwandi and Prihasto, investigators also examined other witnesses. They are the Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (PSP) of the Ministry of Agriculture Ali, Director General of Ministry of Agriculture Andi Nur Alam, Median Tri Hadi who is Syahrul Yasin Limpo's personal secretary, and personal assistant Syahrul, Ubaidah Nabhan. Previously reported, the KPK suspected that Syahrul had extorted his employees by requiring to pay deposit money every month with the help of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono and the Director of Agriculture Agricultural Equity Tools of the Ministry of Muhammad Hatta. The nominal that is pegged and must be deposited by employees of echelon I-II ranges from 4,000-10,000 US dollars.

The money collected is believed to have come from not only the realization of the Ministry of Agriculture's budget inflated or mark-ups but from vendors working on projects. The money is given in cash, transfers or goods. The anti-corruption commission then suspected that the money Syahrul received was used for various personal interests. Starting from Umrah with other Ministry of Agriculture employees, buying cars, repairing houses to flowing to the NasDem Party with a value of up to billions of rupiah.