10 People Examined Regarding Rp684 Billion Oil Palm Rejuvenation Corruption In Aceh

JAKARTA - The Aceh High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) has examined more than 10 witnesses in the investigation into the alleged corruption in the people's oil palm rejuvenation program with a value of more than Rp684.8 billion.

Head of Legal Information and Public Relations of the Aceh Attorney General's Office, Munawal Hadi, said the investigation was to dig up information in order to reveal the alleged criminal act of the oil palm replanting program in Aceh Province.

"To date, more than 10 witnesses have been questioned and questioned. They are from the Ministry of Agriculture, there are also from the District and City Agriculture Office in Aceh Province, as well as cooperatives and farmer groups who receive the program," said Munawal Hadi in Banda. Aceh, reported by Antara, Thursday, May 6.

Previously, the Head of Aceh's Attorney General's Office (Kajati) Muhammad Yusuf said the investigation of the alleged corruption case of the oil palm rejuvenation program with a budget of Rp684.8 billion had been increased from investigation to the investigation stage.

"The source of the budget for the people's oil palm rejuvenation program comes from the Public Service Agency for the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency, which is under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia," said Muhammad Yusuf.

Accompanied by the Head of the Legal Information and Public Relations Section, Munawal Hadi, Muhammad Yusuf said the oil palm rejuvenation program lasted for three budget years, namely 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Muhammad Yusuf said the 2018 budget year was disbursed as much as Rp. 16 billion. Then, in the 2019 fiscal year amounting to IDR 243.2 billion, and in 2020 the budget reaches IDR 425.5 billion.

The oil palm rejuvenation program in Aceh Province, said Muhammad Yusuf, was carried out based on a three-party agreement between the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS), cooperatives, and banks.

"The problem in this case is that in general, the findings of the verification process. Funds earmarked for oil palm rejuvenation cannot be accounted for in any activity or procurement," said Muhammad Yusuf.

In addition, said Kajati Aceh, there were conditions for submission that were not in accordance with applicable regulations, such as overlapping land rights of the proposers or program beneficiaries.

Planters should, said Muhammad Yusuf, implement the community oil palm rejuvenation program through farmer groups, farmer group associations, and cooperatives.

"So the three parties submitted the petition and the application was submitted to the regency Plantation Service. Then the regency Plantation Service verified the application," said Muhammad Yusuf.

Then, the verification results are forwarded to the provincial Plantation Service, and the verification results are then forwarded to the Directorate General of Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia.

Furthermore, the Directorate General of Plantation of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia recommends the name of the proposer, the location of the plantation, and the total area and sends it to BPDPKS as a condition for channeling funds.

"The recipients of the funds are farmer groups, a combination of farmer groups and cooperatives. And those parties take advantage of the funds from BPDPKS for oil palm rejuvenation," said Muhammad Yusuf.

Muhammad Yusuf stated that Aceh Attorney General's Office investigators had asked for information and data collection from related parties, including the BPDPKS Ministry of Finance.

As well as the Director General of Plantation of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Aceh Provincial Agriculture Service, the district Plantation and Animal Husbandry Service, and recipients of funds for the smallholder oil palm rejuvenation program.

"Investigators continue to work to collect evidence and soon the parties are responsible as suspects," said Muhammad Yusuf.