Government Issues BLT For Cooking Oil, LaNyalla: Palm Oil Oligarchy Wins Big, Mafia's Announcement Canceled And Disappears In Earth

Chairman of the DPD RI, LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti. (Photo: Doc. DPD RI)

JAKARTA - The government has finally issued Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) funds for people affected by the increase in cooking oil prices. Assistance worth IDR 100,000 per month will be given for 3 months to 20.5 million poor people and 2.5 million fried food sellers.

The decision to grant the BLT was assessed by the Chairman of the DPD RI, AA LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti, as a shortcut, because the Government was unable to coerce palm oil companies and their derivatives to ensure that DMO (domestic market obligation) was a priority and HET (highest retail price) remained at IDR 14 thousand. per liter can run in the field.

"This is called the palm oil oligarchy winning three times in a row aka a hat trick. First, winning because the world CPO price rose. Second, winning because the government finally revoked the HET for cheap oil. Third, won because the announcement of the cooking oil mafia was canceled and swallowed up by the earth," he said. LaNyalla in his written statement, quoted Tuesday, April 5.

LaNyalla said that the increase in CPO prices made the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) in 2021 record a record collection of export levies of more than IDR 69 trillion. With FOB Palm Oil export value in the range of US$28.99 billion or around IDR 409 trillion.

"But don't get me wrong, 90 percent of the funds in BPDPKS go back to palm oil companies. For oil palm rejuvenation and for the development of the B30 project. If you look at the allocation, there is around IDR 10 trillion left. That may be used for BLT, which totals around IDR 7 trillion," said LaNyalla.

So, LaNyalla continued, once again the state had to give in by intercepting so that the big businessmen would not lose. So that HET was revoked, replaced with BLT assistance to the community, so that people had purchasing power at economic prices.

"Even though I have said it many times. This country will not be able to intercept all the difficulties of the people. Because the state's capacity is very limited with an economic system like today. All natural wealth is managed by the private sector with a royalty pattern," he explained.

As previously reported, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) announced that the government would provide BLT for 2.5 million fried street vendors (PKL), and 20.5 million families who have the right to ease the burden on the community amid the high price of cooking oil. The value is IDR 300 thousand for April, May and June 2022.