Regarding The Warning Against The Food Mafia, Minister Of Agriculture Amran: It HAPPENED Before, Not The Vice President Today

Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman. (doc. Public Relations Ministry of Agriculture)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman straightened out information regarding the video of his viral speech, which said he had been reprimanded by the vice president regarding the eradication of the food mafia. However, the deputy head of state in question is not Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

"I need to clarify, the warning happened first, not from the current vice president. And I used to consider it a very positive warning. That actually made me more careful and more courageous in eradicating the food mafia," he said in a written statement, Sunday, April 20.

In fact, the current vice president, Gibran, provides full support for the steps to eradicate the food mafia and corruption currently being intensified by the Ministry of Agriculture.

"Mr. Gibran is very supportive. The President and vice president solidly support us to clean up food and defend farmers," continued Amran.

Amran explained that he made the statement in the video in the academic context as a reflection of his past experiences in fighting for national food security.

He also reminded that no party should take advantage of the video clip to break the government's solidity.

"I emphasize, don't try to fight against me with the vice president. All the presidents and vice presidents I have accompanied, including Vice President Gibran, have the same spirit to clean up the food mafia and defend farmers," he said.

He said, as many as 784 food mafia cases were successfully uncovered, with 411 people being named suspects. These cases include violations related to fertilizers, horticulture, livestock, to fraudulent practices in rice distribution.

Even within the Ministry of Agriculture, more than 1,500 employees have been subject to demonstrations and mutations due to disciplinary and integrity violations. This is a clean-up movement that we do indiscriminately," said Amran.

In the first 130 days of the Red and White Cabinet, under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran, the Ministry of Agriculture continued to take firm steps so that as many as 20 people were named suspects and 50 companies were being prosecuted for harming the state and farmers.

Amran also warned mafia actors and sympathizers not to interfere with national food security stability. The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to strengthen cooperation with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Police, and the Attorney General's Office in cleaning up food mafia practices and enforcing pro-farm policies in a sustainable manner throughout the country

"Currently the road to self-sufficiency is bright. Don't you mafias and their sympathizers pit each other. We are perpendicular to the president and vice president. We are solid for Indonesia's sovereignty and food security," he said.

Amran himself served as Minister of Agriculture during the era of the leadership of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for the 2014-2019 period. After being replaced by Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) who is now entangled in a corruption case, Jokowi again inaugurated Amran on October 25, 2023.