Witness Admittedly HET The Government Can't Develop The Economic Price Of CPO

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Corruption Court has again held a follow-up trial in the alleged corruption case related to the provision of crude palm oil (CPO) export permit facilities and their derivatives with the agenda of examining witnesses. Functional Trade analyst of the Directorate General of Home Affairs of the Ministry of Trade, Indra said, the government has tried hard to ensure the availability of cooking oil prices in the market in accordance with the Decree of the Highest Retail Price (HET). In fact, the HET that is set is far from the actual economic price. In the end, business actors are at a loss. "Any type of method must be sold at a price of Rp. 14 thousand. Where, the economic price is around Rp. 17,260, so that later what will be paid by BPDPKS is the difference between the economic price and the HET," said Indra, quoted Wednesday, October 12. This policy does not last long. This is because the price of CPO is increasing. The funds prepared by BPDPKS of around Rp. 7.6 trillion will not be able if they have to pay the difference in the price of this cooking oil. To anticipate the scarcity, the government issued Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 1 of 2022 concerning the Supply of Simple Packaging Oil for Community Needs in Framework Financing by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPBDPKS). Moreover, at that time the price of cooking oil had touched a price of Rp. 18,000 to Rp. 19,000. Then, the government asked business actors to sell packaged cooking oil at a price of Rp. 14,000. In fact, the price of cooking oil has touched Rp. 17,260. "So there is a price difference of around Rp. 3,200 will be replaced with BPDPKS funds. This is the first policy," said Indra, while testifying at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday, October 11. However, this policy did not last long. The reason is, the need for simple packaged cooking oil reaches 200 million liters. Meanwhile, business actors are only able to collect about 40 million liters of simple packaged cooking oil. "Meanwhile, if they (business actors) will invest, it may take a long time to bring in a packaged machine," added Indra. Therefore, the government has again issued Minister of Trade Regulation Number 03 of 2022 concerning the Provision of Packaged Cooking Oil for Community Needs in the Framework of Financing by BPDPKS as a new policy. This rule seeks to make packaged cooking oil both simple and premium into one price. Then, the government issued Permendag Number 06 of 2022 as a new rule. In this policy, cooking oil is divided into three categories. Namely, packaged cooking oil, simple packaging and bulk cooking oil. Each category has its own HET. HET Premium cooking oil worth Rp. 14,000. Packaged cooking oil is Rp. 13,500. Finally, bulk cooking oil costs Rp. 11 thousand. This policy is strengthened by Permendag Number 8 of 2022. This policy regulates the issue of DMOs. This regulation asks business actors to subsidize cooking oil. Business actors who want to export are required to meet DMO by 20 percent in the country before exporting. Tuesday, October 11, the Corruption Court Panel of Judges held a trial regarding the alleged CPO riot with the examination of witnesses. They are Indra Wijayanto of Civil Servants at the Directorate of Important Goods at the Ministry of Trade. Then, Sugi Romansyah as the Head of the General Bureau of the Ministry of Trade. In this case there are five defendants. They are Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana as Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade. Master Parulian Tumanggor as Commissioner of PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia. Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs of PT Pelita Agung Agrindustri/Green Permata Group Stanley MA. Furthermore, Picare Tagore Sitanggang as General Manager at General Affairs Section PT Musim Mas and founder/analysis PT Independent Research & Advisory Indonesia, Lin Che Wei.