Take Care Of Prestige, SYL Admits It Deliberately Makes The Brother Of A Ministry Of Agriculture Expert

The defendant in the bribery and gratification case Syahrul Yasin Limpo at the trial (Rizky AP/VOI)

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo or SYL admitted that he deliberately made his brother, Tenri Olle Yasin Limpo, an expert at the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan). The goal is to maintain family prestige.

This admission began when the public prosecutor (JPU) questioned Tenri Olle Yasin Limpo being an expert at the Ministry of Agriculture and received a salary of Rp. 10 million per month. SYL at that time said that his brother had experience as Chairman of the DPRD.

"My brother was a former chairman of the DPRD, then the head of the faction in the Provincial House of Representatives. And when I became a minister, who took care of my old mother, already sick, it was just my brother, Tenri Olle Yasin Limpo. Therefore, I humanely ask the Director General for time or who, for if possible he becomes an expert staff or expert, experts are not expert staff. Experts mean just let go, if the expert staff must enter the office," said SYL in a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Monday, June 25.

SYL said the request was to maintain family prestige or dignity. He did not want his family to hang out, even though at that time he served as minister.

"Just like that, I have a request to provide dignity and prestige to, I am a minister, when I had my brother scattered, even though he had good knowledge. I think that's how it is," he said.

However, SYL claimed not to know about the nominal salary given to his brother. He reasoned that he was too busy and only found out about it at trial.

"Yes, because I'm really busy, I don't have control, actually this. And I just found out at this trial that he still has an honorarium there. I don't take care of the honorarium, given an honorarium or not, I just hope he gets input like that, and takes care of my mother," said SYL.

"When the witness conveyed that to the relevant Directorate General, the witness said whether it was free or if there was an honorarium given?" asked the prosecutor.

"I'm not talking about honorariums, I just feel that I need input, need access to be able to energize export direct calls throughout the eastern region in Makassar and he was once the head of the faction in the Provincial House of Representatives who took care of it," SYL replied.

In this case, SYL was charged with extortion of up to Rp44.5 billion during the 2020-2023 period.

This action was carried out together 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 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 billion from January 2020 to October 2023.