Ministry Of Agriculture Corruption Continues To Be Investigated, 3 SYL Advocates Are Banned Abroad

Former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Director of Investigation of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Asep Guntur Rahayu revealed that the anti-triggery (local) action abroad against former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL)'s attorney was carried out to smooth the investigation process. "So we have several documents, be it documents that we received, electronic documents, where there was involvement there, we think it could interfere with the course of the investigation process against SYL," said Asep. confirmed Friday, November 10. Asep said that based on these findings, the anti-corruption agency investigator team considered it necessary to prevent the three advocates from leaving the country. "We feel the need to discriminate against the person concerned," he said. Previously, Wednesday, the KPK submitted a request to prevent abroad from investigating three people related to the alleged corruption case involving former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL). "Prevent three people from traveling abroad at the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia," said Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri. The extension is in accordance with the needs of the investigation process. "KPK reminds us to be cooperative in attending every agenda for the summons from the investigation team," said Ali. KPK on Friday, October 13, 2023, officially detained former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) and Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery at the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta (MH) related to the alleged corruption case at the ministry. The alleged corruption case began when SYL served as Minister of Agriculture for the period 2019 to 2024. With this position, SYL then made personal policies, including making levies to receive deposits from the Ministry of Agriculture's internal ASN to meet personal needs, including its core family. Lower time SYL's policy to collect until receiving the deposit took place from 2020 to 2023. SYL assigned Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono (KS) and Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery, Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta (MH) to made withdrawals of a sum of money from echelon I and II units. In the form of cash transfers, bank account transfers to gifts in the form of goods and services. At the direction of SYL, KS and MH ordered their subordinates to collect a sum of money in echelon I, namely the director general, head of the agency to the secretary of each echelon I. With the amount determined by SYL with the amount ranging from US$4,000 to US$10,000. Receivement of money through KS and MH as a representation of SYL confidants is carried out routinely every month using foreign currency denominations. The KPK said that the money SYL enjoyed together with KS and MH as preliminary evidence amounted to around Rp. 13.9 billion. However, the KPK investigating team is still conducting more in-depth searches on the exact amount. SYL, KS, and MH have been named suspects and detained for 20 days at the KPK detention center for the benefit Further investigation.

The suspects are suspected of violating Article 12 letters e and 12B of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code. Meanwhile, suspect SYL is also suspected of violating Article 3 and/or 4 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Crime of Money Laundering (TPPU).