DKI DPRD Encourages Food Stations To Anticipate Mixed Rice Case So It Doesn't Recur

ILLUSTRATION, DOC. VOI

JAKARTA - Commission B DPRD DKI Jakarta encourages PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya to take anticipatory steps so that the findings of a case of mixing rice in the company's warehouse are not repeated.

"At least, you (the director of PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya) must be able to anticipate, must really understand the rice mafia, the rice players. If all this time you have only worked normally, until we die this rice mafia problem will not be resolved either, " said a member of Commission B DPRD DKI Jakarta Hasbiallah Ilyas as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, 8 February.

Hasbiallah said that his party knew a number of people who played to mix the rice.

Therefore, he sees that the misuse of rice sales is not the fault of the Food Station alone, but rather that there is fraud in the distribution of rice belonging to the private sector and Bulog.

"Indeed this is not purely the Food Station's fault, but indeed from above, from Bulog. This (rice) capacity should have been given this much for company A, but it was cut in half. This is what led to the mixing of rice owned by Bulog with premium goods," said Hasbiallah.

With the identification and anticipation that has been carried out, at least there is hope that Food Station can dampen the mafia's game on rice sales in the DKI Jakarta area.

"At least in the Cipinang Rice Main Market which they manage," said Hasbiallah.

Previously, the Main Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso (Buwas) conducted a sudden inspection of the warehouse owned by PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya in the Cipinang area, East Jakarta, Friday (3/2).

As a result, he found empty sacks of 50 kilograms of imported rice and stacks of small sacks of local brand rice in two warehouses.

Buwas suspects sacks of rice for market operations, which are premium rice, are sold at medium prices.

Meanwhile, rice that is transferred to local rice sacks is then sold at premium rice prices.

"I bought this for Rp. 8,300, transferred there to Rp. 12,000. It was sold for Rp. 12,000, because it was considered domestic production," said Buwas.

The main director of PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya Pamrihadi Wiraryo said that it was suspected that unscrupulous traders mixed Bulog rice with other rice and put it in premium packaging.

"Yesterday we conducted an inspection (with Bulog). The findings were that there were unscrupulous traders who allegedly mixed Bulog rice with other rice and sold it at a premium. Yesterday afternoon we followed up with the food task force for processing," said Pamrihadi.

Pamrihadi confirmed that the trader did not buy rice from PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya, and currently the findings are being re-examined by the food task force and legal officials.

Then, he continued, if it is proven, the trader will be removed from the Cipinang Rice Main Market (PIBC).

"Punishment is the authority of law enforcement officials. (But) if a crime is proven, then we will stop renting the warehouse," Pamrihadi said.