Malang Police Investigate Alleged Abuse Of Bulog Rice

Malang Resort Police (Polres), East Java conducted an investigation regarding the alleged misuse of Bulog rice which was repackaged and then sold to the public at a higher price or the equivalent price of premium rice in the market.

Malang Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKP Gandha Sayah Hidayat when confirmed from Malang Regency, East Java, Sunday said that his party was currently conducting an intensive investigation after securing a number of people from a rice warehouse in the area.

"Currently, an intensive investigation is still being carried out," said Gandha.

Gandha explained that the Malang Police Detective and Criminal Unit (Satreskrim) had sealed a warehouse in Kidal Village, Tumpang District, Malang Regency which was the venue for a number of alleged perpetrators to repackage Bulog rice.

According to him, three people were arrested by the police, namely two workers with the initials EP and IF, as well as one business owner or warehouse owner with the initials EH. The perpetrators, allegedly repackaged Bulog rice and resold it with a premium type.

"The perpetrators pack the rice and fake the mark from Bulog rice which should be medium rice, and resell it into premium rice," he said.

For information, Bulog rice or rice for the Supply Stabilization and Food Price (SPHP) program is sold at a price of Rp. 10,900 per kilogram or Rp. 54,500 per five kilograms. In a number of market or easy market operations, Bulog rice is sold for Rp. 50 thousand per five kilograms.

Meanwhile, premium rice in the Malang Regency area, based on data from the East Java Basic Material Availability Information System (Siskaperbapo) is in the range of Rp. 14,500 to Rp. 15,500 per kilogram, and there is a fairly large difference with the Bulog rice.

The Malang Police Satreskrim confiscated a number of evidences in the form of Bulog rice which had been repackaged in five kilograms and 25 kilograms as much as one ton, and Bulog rice which was still packaged 50 kilograms as much as 1.2 tons.

"In addition, there is also evidence of 320 sacks of used Bulog rice, one electrical press, digital scales and a sack sewing device," he said.