In Order To Fulfill SYL's Request, His Subordinates Must Lose IDR 30 Million Per Month

Syahrul Yasin Limpo/PHOTO: Rizky Adytia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Head of the General Division of the Director General of Food Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture, Edi Eko Sasmito, said that he had to collect money from each directorate worth Rp. 30 million. The money is to meet Syahrul Yasin Limpo's non-bugeter needs as Minister of Agriculture.

During the trial, Eko explained that there were two types of'sharing' that were carried out to meet SYL's needs, namely monthly and incidentiles.

"We share two, yes, there are two types of sharing in the food plant. The first is routinely monthly," said Eko during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, May 15.

For monthly sharing, it is said that each director must collect Rp. 30 million. The goal is to be able to meet the needs of SYL which is relatively small.

"In 2022, when I gathered it, the directorate per month was Rp. 30 million," said Eko.

"Has 30 million been pegged?" asked the prosecutor

Eko then conveyed that the nominal was set to anticipate SYL's sudden request. So, it can be immediately met with the availability of the non-budget funds.

"Yes, that's why we thought, didn't think, so the minister's needs are small, for example, Mrs. Tita's ticket," he said.

Meanwhile, requests that are relatively large, continued Eko, will be carried out in the second type of sharing, namely incidentiles.

In this sharing, each directorate will be asked to add a nominal amount of money deposited. Thus, SYL's request can be fulfilled.

"Then there are also abroad, if overseas, it's big. So like it or not, we share there must be additional, so there is an incidental sharing," said Eko.

"So if there is a request like that, we will collect another big one, our friends are directed to add contributions," he continued.

In this case, Syahrul Yasin Limpo allegedly extorted his employees of up to Rp44.5 billion during the 2020-2023 period with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono and the Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery of the Directorate General of Infrastructure and Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta.

This money was then used for the benefit of Syahrul's wife and family, invited gifts, the NasDem Party, religious events, aircraft charters to Umrah and sacrifices. In addition, he was also charged with receiving gratuities of Rp40.6 M from January 2020 to October 2023