Jokowi Is Ridiculed By The Non-Nationalistic SYL Policy

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is said to be uncomfortable with Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL)'s policy when he served as Minister of Agriculture (Mentan). This is because some of SYL's policies are considered not nationalist.

This was conveyed by the Public Prosecutor (JPU) when reading his response to SYL's denial at the previous trial.

It started when the prosecutor said there was evidence of a screenshot of a short WhatsApp message between SYL and his special staff (stafsus), Imam Mujahidin Fahmid.

"In the WA chat conversation, the defendant and Imam Mujahidin Fahmid discussed the conditions at the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, which basically the ranks of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture were all worried about the defendant's actions, which at any time asked for his request, requests from the defendant's relatives, and the needs of the Nasdem Party," said the prosecutor at the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Friday, June 28.

"So the ranks of the Ministry of Agriculture must make fictitious accountability to fulfill the defendant's request," he continued.

Not only that, in that conversation, Imam Mujahidin Fahmid discussed Jokowi's uncomfortableness with SYL's policy which was considered not nationalist.

One of them was the decision to recruit Ministry of Agriculture officials from Makassar who in fact were SYL's former subordinates when he served as Governor of South Sulawesi.

"The defendant and Imam Mujahidin Fahmid also discussed that the President of the Republic of Indonesia was already concerned with the policy of the defendant who was not nationalist and all officials of the Ministry of Agriculture Ri were taken from the office in Makassar, for example the director of fertilizer held by STPDN graduates who did not match their educational background, in this case what is meant is Muhammad Hatta," said the prosecutor.

With this evidence, the prosecutor asked the panel of judges to reject SYL's rebuttal regarding never ordering his subordinates to collect money from echelon I at the Ministry of Agriculture.

"With all of them, the defendant's objections and rebuttals are baseless and should be rejected or at least ruled out," said the prosecutor.

SYL was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors believe SYL was found guilty of extorting his subordinates from the Ministry of Agriculture.

In addition, the prosecutor also demanded SYL to pay a fine of Rp. 500 million. If the fine is not paid, it will be replaced with 6 months in prison.

The prosecutor believes that SYL received IDR 44.2 billion and USD 30 thousand (or equivalent to IDR 490 million) during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture. The money came from employees at the Ministry of Agriculture.