2 Former Directors Of The Ministry Of Agriculture Are Worked On By The KPK Regarding The Corruption Of Antamic Acid In The SYL Era

KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo. (Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has scheduled an examination of two witnesses suspected of corruption in the procurement of formiatic acid or ant acid for rubber processing at the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan). One of them is the former Director of Plantation Protection of the Ministry of Agriculture Ardi Praptono.

"The investigation was carried out at the KPK's Red and White building," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters in a written statement, Thursday, December 6.

Apart from Ardi, investigators also summoned Dedi Junaedi, who served as Director of the Ministry of Agriculture's PPHP for the 2015-2022 period.

"KPK has scheduled witness examination in the alleged TPK related to the Procurement of Goods/Services for Facilitation of Rubber Processing at the Ministry of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2021-2023," said Budi.

The Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur revealed that there were a number of allegations of corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) when led by Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL). One of them is the procurement of formiatic acid or ant acid.

This formmiatic acid is a chemical used as a coagulant or rubber sap fryer.

Previously reported, the KPK suspected that there was an inflated budget for the purchase of rubber sap at the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan). This was conveyed by the Director of Investigation of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu when asked about the ongoing investigation.

"So we are currently also handling cases related to procurement, I forgot the name, but the acid used to thicken rubber. ... If it used to be called ant acid, the name was there to thicken rubber," Asep told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Thursday, November 28.

In this case, the KPK has named a suspect. Eight people have also been prevented from leaving the country for six months.

The anti-corruption commission did not specify their identities. However, from the information gathered they are DS, RIS as a private party; YW, SUP, ANA, AJH, and MT who are civil servants or civil servants of the Ministry of Agriculture; and a retiree with the initials DJ.