North Sumatra Bulog Asks People Not To Be Provoked By Plastic Rice Hoaxes In Binjai

Regional Leader Of Perum Bulog Regional Of North Sumatra Regional Office Arif Mandu/ANTARA/Michael Siahaan

The North Sumatra Regional Office of Bulog appealed to the public not to be provoked by hoax issues which stated that the Stability of Supply and Food Prices (SPHP) rice contained plastic.

"People don't need to be provoked by videos or news related to plastic rice. That's hoax news that causes unrest and makes things worse," said Bulog Regional Head of North Sumatra Regional Office Arif Mandu at Pulo Brayan Darat I Bulog (GBB) warehouse, Medan, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 11. According to Arif, rumors about plastic rice have actually appeared several times since many years ago.

He was also surprised that the same issue had resurfaced. Moreover, similar issues are not only developing in North Sumatra, but also in South Sumatra, Central Sulawesi and South Kalimantan.

"Currently it has entered the political year. Various issues could be developed," said Arif.

Arif emphasized that in the future his party will take firm action if there is hoax information about plastic or synthetic rice that is deliberately distributed, especially through social media.

Perum Bulog North Sumatra will coordinate closely, especially with the police so that elements who spread false news are deterrent and do not do the same.

"We will coordinate with the police to follow up. This is so that information such as the same thing is not disseminated so as not to cause public unrest," said Arif.

Bulog asked all parties to refrain from spreading information about SPHP rice that misleads the public in the midst of high rice prices.

SPHP rice is distributed by the government to maintain stability and, if possible, encourage a reduction in rice prices.

"In addition, there is also the distribution of food aid. We continue to maintain the availability of stock," said Arif.

Previously, a video circulated on social media stating that the SPHP rice in Binjai City, North Sumatra, was suspected of containing plastic.

In the video, a mother who claims to get the SPHP rice from the cheap market in Binjai, throws the rice fist processed rice on the floor. The rice bounced off and that raised the mother's suspicions of the rice.

Arif said the news was a hoax because the Bulog imported rice intended for the SPHP had gone through a series of examinations before being distributed to the public.

The rice imported from several countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan and Cambodia has been checked by the Agricultural Quarantine Center and PT Sucofindo.

In addition, the rice was also examined in the laboratory, one of which belonged to the Medan Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Security Service (DKP3).