Head Of Badanas To Head Of Bulog Reported To KPK Regarding Alleged Mark Up Of Rice Imports

Executive Director of People's Democracy Studies Hari Purwanto at the KPK's Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 3. (Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo and Head of Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi were reported to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Both are suspected of inflating the import price of 2.2 million tons of rice worth IDR 2.7 trillion and causing the state to lose due to demurrage of IDR 294.5 billion.

The report was submitted by the Executive Director of People's Democracy Studies Hari Purwanto to the KPK's Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta today, Wednesday, July 3.

"We hope that our report can be input and consideration for the Chairman of the Indonesian KPK in handling the cases we reported," Hari told reporters.

Hari asked the anti-corruption commission to immediately examine the two figures he reported. He said, the inflation he did occurred in the bidding process.

For example, he continued, the Tan Long Group company from Vietnam provides a 538 US dollars offer per tonne for 100 thousand tons of rice. However, the realization of imported prices in the field turned out to be far above the market price.

Meanwhile, the alleged state loss due to demurrage imports of rice worth Rp294.5 billion occurred at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta and Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya. Hari said this incident occurred at the end of June 2024.

"There is a circulation of information that is still needed, the main cause of the delay in loading and unloading which leads to a fine or demurrage due to the policy of the Head of Badanas which requires Bulog to use containers or containers in shipments," he said.

"This is accused of causing the unloading process to take longer than the previous way using large ships without containers," continued Hari.

As for this report, the anti-corruption commission does not want to talk much. KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika said her agency already had rules not to divulge whistleblowers of alleged corruption.

The KPK cannot submit reports that come in because it involves confidentiality. If the reporter opens to the journalist, it is beyond our authority," said Tessa when confirmed.