Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has urged\npolice to root out the rice mafia behind the Food Supply and Price\nStabilisation (SPHP) programme after discovering the alleged blending of\nsubsidised rice with premium rice in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Amran said the investigation must not stop with those already\ndetained if inquiries uncover other networks involved in distributing or\nrepackaging the subsidised rice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf possible, root it out to the very last branch. As Agriculture\nMinister, I appeal to the police chief and the police to investigate\nthis down to its roots,\u201d Amran said on Wednesday during a spot\ninspection at the Kayumanis Rice Shop\/House on Jalan Kayumanis X\nNo.\u00a046A, Pisangan Baru, Matraman, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said law enforcement officers needed to trace the entire\ndistribution chain, including the rice\u2019s origin, where it was\nrepackaged, its route to market and who profited from the practice.<\/p>\n
He said dismantling the rice-mafia network was important to ensure\nthe supply and price stabilisation programme delivered lasting benefits\nto the people who needed it.<\/p>\n
Amran stressed that the government would not tolerate anyone proven\nto have misused subsidised rice, saying the practice harmed the public\nand disrupted the national food trade.<\/p>\n
He said preliminary information pointed to a Bulog warehouse in\nKelapa Gading as the rice\u2019s source, but that this information still\nneeded to be examined further by police investigators.<\/p>\n
If any Agriculture Ministry employees or other parties were found to\nbe involved, Amran said they would be dismissed and face legal\nproceedings in accordance with applicable laws.<\/p>\n
He also praised the swift action by the East Jakarta Police and its\nintelligence and security unit, which he said had uncovered the alleged\nmisuse of SPHP rice before it spread further among the public.<\/p>\n
Amran said prosecuting the rice mafia was necessary to deter future\noffences and strengthen public confidence in the government\u2019s ongoing\nfood programmes. He hoped the investigation would be completed so that\nall those responsible were held to account and the misuse of SPHP rice\ndid not recur.<\/p>\n
The minister carried out spot inspections at two locations in East\nJakarta where SPHP rice was allegedly being blended and sold as premium\nrice, as part of efforts to safeguard the rice trade.<\/p>\n
At the first location, the Kayumanis Rice Shop\/House on Jalan\nKayumanis X in Matraman, Amran found evidence of the alleged misuse of\nsubsidised rice, which was reportedly resold as premium rice at a higher\nprice. The volume involved was 600 tonnes.<\/p>\n
After leaving Kayumanis, Amran and police officials continued their\ninspection in the Cipinang Rice Market area to investigate allegations\nof similar activity.<\/p>\n
There, Amran suspected that the alleged rice-blending operation was\ntaking place on a large scale, potentially involving thousands of tonnes\nif repeated every day.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/agriculture-minister-rice-mafia-behind-sphp-scheme-must-be-rooted-out-1793191984", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }