Bulog Boss Unloads Mafia Tricks To Misappropriate Rice

President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso revealed tricks or how the rice mafia played.

He said these mafias used the distribution of premium rice in bulk by Perum Bulog. The rice is then resold.

Buwas, Budi Waseso's nickname, explained that the mafia bought premium rice from Bulog at a price of Rp. 8,300 per kilogram (kg). Then the rice was resold at a price of Rp. 12,000 to Rp. 13,000 per kg by replacing the packaging.

"Because the rice distributed by Bulog is premium rice, what happened yesterday we distributed it with bulk to accelerate the distribution of rice to the community. It turned out that it was used for trading to make profits," he said at the Bulog office, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 18.

Buwas said, this practice clearly caused losses. For example, the government has difficulty suppressing rice prices and rising inflation.

"Obviously there are many negative impacts. On the other hand, the first is that we reduce prices and the second inflation can't continue to increase," he said.

Furthermore, Buwas said this irregularity occurred in many areas in Indonesia, one of which was in Banten. Buwas gave an award to the Banten Police and their staff for successfully dismantling this rice mafia case.

"Well, this is what I like to say that this happened not only in Banten, but once it was revealed in Banten, other areas began to subside. That doesn't mean it's impossible to reappear, because right now rice is being expensive," he explained.