DKI BUMD Dragged In Oplosan Rice Case, Rano Karno: I Got That Report Is Not True

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Rano Karno inspects MPLS at SMAN 6, South Jakarta (DOK Diah Ayu/VOI)

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Rano Karno opened his voice about the case of mixing rice that dragged PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya, which was the finding of the Food Task Force.

Rano said the Food Station had clarified to him. The BUMD food management belonging to the DKI Provincial Government admitted that it was not involved in cases of violating the quality of rice circulating in the market.

"This will take a long time for this discussion. But I received a report from the food station that it is not true," said Rano after reviewing the MPLS at SMAN 6, South Jakarta, Tuesday, July 15.

However, Rano said that the DKI Provincial Government is still conducting internal audits to check the quality of the rice taken from the Food Station warehouse. If it is proven that there is an mixing, the Food Station must be responsible.

"There must be an audit. Moreover, things like this, the Inspectorate goes down. If it is wrong, take action. There is no business," he said.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman said that his party found 212 rogue rice producers that did not meet quality, quality and volume standards.

Dari laporan yang diterima pada 10 Juli lalu, kata Amran, proses pemeriksaan terhadap para produsen sudah dimulai aparat kepolisian, dan Kementerian Agricultural (Kementan) terus memantau perkembangan agar deviasi ini tidak berulang di masa mendatang.

He said the mode of violation found included packaging incompatibility, in which it was written 5 kilograms (kg) but only contained 4.5 kg, as well as counterfeiting the premium and medium rice quality categories.

Community losses due to the fraudulent practice are estimated at IDR 99.35 trillion every year, which if allowed can reach IDR 500 trillion to IDR 1,000 trillion in five to ten years.

"Some 86 percent say this is premium even though it is ordinary rice. Then they say medium even though rice is ordinary. What does that mean? 1 kilo can be at a difference of Rp. 2,000 to Rp. 3,000 per kilogram. We exemplify gold, it says 24 carat gold, but actually it is 18 carats," said Amran some time ago.

The National Police's Food Task Force is currently following up on the Ministry of Agriculture's report regarding the rice supply report. The National Police examined four producers, namely Wilmar Group, PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya, PT Belitang Panen Raya, and PT Sentosa Utama Lestari ( Japfa Group) as an investigation step.

Meanwhile, Head of the DKI Jakarta Food, Maritime and Agricultural Security Service (KPKP) Hasudungan Sidabalok said that his party was conducting an internal audit in examining the quality of rice sold by PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya.

The KPKP Office, continued Hasudungan, is still waiting for the results of the examination of rice samples taken from a warehouse owned by the Food Station in Cipinang, East Jakarta.

"Yes (The KPKP Office conducts an internal audit). We are still waiting for the results of the FS rice sample examination that we examined at the DKPKP lab," said Hasudungan when confirmed, Monday, July 14.

Hasudungan Sidabalok admitted that his party did not want to prejudice the alleged involvement of PT Food Station in cases of violating the quality of rice sold.

"The public is advised to remain careful in buying rice and it is hoped that it will wait for the results of the investigation from the authorities regarding the information circulating at this time," he explained.