Law Enforcers Are Encouraged To Move Quickly To Investigate Alleged Mark Up Of Rice Imports

Illustration of Bulog rice (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Allegations of price inflation or mark-up imports of rice must be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement officials. Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives Santoso assessed that the mark-up for imports of rice will have a wider social impact. "We hope that the KPK can immediately dismantle the alleged mark-up on the import of this rice. Why has the price soared higher because of the existence of mark-ups on this rice import?," Santoso said in Jakarta, Sunday, July 21, quoted from ANTARA.," Santoso said. Allegations of inflating rice imports also trigger an increase in the price of other commodities which will result in a severe increase in people's purchasing power, "said Santoso. Previously, the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi and the Head of Bulog Bayu Krisnamurthi reported the Purwanto Day People's Democracy Study to the KPK on suspicion of inflating (mark up) the import price of 2.2 million tons of rice on July 3, 2024.

Regarding this allegation, Deputy for Availability and Stabilization of Badanas I Gusti Ketut Astawa said that his party respects the complaint to the KPK. Ketut ensured that Bapanas in carrying out its duties and functions always refers to Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 66 of 2021 concerning the National Food Agency. Meanwhile, Perum Bulog claimed to have been a victim of allegations of mark-up allegations related to rice imports. Perum Bulog Corporate Secretary Arwakhudin Widiarso said the report formed a bad opinion in the community regarding his company.