Regarding The Social Assistance Of The President Buried In Depok, Muhadjir: Damaged Rice Can't Be Distributed To The Community

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Monday (1/8/2022). ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy said that the government had indeed banned damaged rice from entering for presidential assistance (banpres) which was distributed to the public.

"The damaged rice should not be distributed to the public because the President ordered not to give rice to the community that we ourselves don't want to eat, who were given premium rice," said Muhadjir at the presidential palace in Jakarta, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 1.

This was conveyed by Muhadjir related to the discovery of goods suspected of being a presidential social assistance for residents affected by COVID-19 in Serab Village, Sukmajaya, Depok, West Java, on Sunday (31/7).

The rice was buried in the ground and was revealed after the heir of the land owner, Rudi Samin, dug using heavy equipment. Currently, the Depok Police are examining the findings with the reported party being JNE.

"At that time we decided that all rice that was hit by the rain should not be distributed, both those that were still in good condition and those that were damaged should not be distributed. Why? must also be replaced, no later than two days after that it must be replaced," said Muhadjir.

According to Muhadjir, regarding the discovery of the damaged rice, the responsible parties should be the rice shipping company and Bulog.

"So if there is damaged rice, it is the responsibility of the transporter, it is true that JNE will become the transporter if JNE is doing the right thing. The matter is stockpiled, it is his business, not the Ministry of Social Affairs, because the damaged rice is very likely to have been replaced," he added. Muhadjir.

However, Muhadjir admitted that he did not know whether the damaged rice had been replaced or not before it reached the community.

"Because we really control it until it is delivered according to the President's message. Don't just send it, but it must be conveyed so the loss is borne by the sending company, the transporter," said Muhadjir.

Currently, Muhadjir said, the investigation of the case was still being carried out jointly by the National Police, Inspector General of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Deputy 1 of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture.

"So my answer is while holding on to the JNE statement, if it is true, it means that damaged rice and damaged rice should not be distributed to the community. We are very correct when it is damaged, we cannot, while at that time there was something that had reached the people, we pulled it back," including those that were not damaged. Anyway, one truck was damaged, the others should not be divided all, "explained Muhajdir.

Muhadjir also said that the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture is not authorized to determine whether the sending company is proven negligent or not.

"If it's negligent, it's not our domain, so it's a criminal case, if it turns out that it should be the right of the community and he doesn't want to be distributed differently, but if he claims it's damaged rice which at that time should not be distributed to the community, that's true," added Muhadjir.

According to Muhadjir, the damaged rice found in Depok was distributed because President Jokowi's instructions were to distribute aid in the form of rice from Bulog.

"Why Bulog? Because Bulog itself at that time was already experiencing overcrowding, in its warehouses there was a buildup and then the harvest would soon be followed so that the government took a policy.

Then, because the funds are extra funds from the BUN (State General Treasurer) then it is called Presidential assistance, not social assistance, if social assistance has been allocated at the Ministry of Social Affairs," said Muhadjir.

Muhadjir currently claims to be the coordinator of the distribution of the rice banpres together with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the local government.

"In some places, there are incidents that we don't want, there are some companies that may not have experience or neglect their trucks instead of closed trucks, use pickup trucks. Now, because of the open tailgate, when it rains a lot of rice is damaged," said Muhadjir.