Bungaran denies receiving bribe from Monsanto<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former minister Bungaran Saragih admitted that he had issued a
\nministerial decree allowing the cultivation of Monsanto's
\nBollgard cotton in eight regencies in South Sulawesi, but denied
\nsuggestions that he had received a bribe from U.S.-based Monsanto
\nfor its genetically-modified organism (GMO) crops.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the decree, which was issued in 2001, had
\nactually created financial losses to the company as its shares in
\nthe U.S. stock market fell because the decree limited Monsanto to
\ncultivating the GMO crops only in South Sulawesi, banning it from
\nentering other cotton producing areas in the country.<\/p>\n
He said that this was seen by stock market investors as a
\nnegative signal from the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
\"I allowed the cultivation of cotton seeds in limited areas in
\nIndonesia. (But) It was not something expected by Monsanto
\nbecause I also required annual evaluation of the project,\"
\nBungaran said after meeting with the Corruption Eradication
\nCommission (KPK).<\/p>\n
The KPK has set up a team to investigate the allegations of
\ngraft.<\/p>\n
He explained that representatives from Monsanto, its
\nIndonesian affiliate PT Monagro Kimia and Jakarta-based
\nconsulting firm Harvest International Indonesia lobbied him to
\nget permits for cultivation of GMO crops in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
However, Bungaran denied that he or his wife had been bribed
\nby Monsanto to grant the permits. He challenged the U.S.
\ngovernment to publish the name of Indonesian officials who had
\nbeen bribed by Monsanto.<\/p>\n
Monsanto confessed to the U.S. Department of Justice that it
\nmade at least $700,000 in illicit payments to at least 140
\ncurrent and former Indonesian government officials and their
\nfamily members from 1997 to 2002.<\/p>\n
Monsanto, according to the website of the U.S. Securities and
\nExchange Commission, hired an investment consulting firm to lobby
\nfor legislation and ministerial decrees favorable to GMO crops as
\nit wanted Indonesia to accept it.<\/p>\n
The ministry of agriculture, who was led by Bungaran, granted
\nlimited approval for farmers in South Sulawesi to grow Bollgard
\nCotton in February of 2001.<\/p>\n
Bungaran claimed that the decree was \"a win-win solution\" for
\nfarmers, non-governmental organizations that oppose GMO crops,
\nacademicians as well as the South Sulawesi administration and the
\nprovincial council.<\/p>\n
\"The governor, HZB Palaguna, the South Sulawesi council and
\nthe Association of farmers, sent me a letter asking for a permit
\nto cultivate the cotton,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, former environment minister Sonny Keraf
\ntold reporters that he issued a ministerial decree later in 2001
\nrequiring an environmental impact assessment prior to the
\ncultivation of GMO crops in this country.<\/p>\n
\"The decree was issued after a decree by a joint team of the
\nagriculture ministry, the forestry and plantation ministry, the
\nhealth ministry and the state ministry of food and horticulture
\nin 1999, which allows possible cultivation of GMO crops here,\"
\nSonny said.<\/p>\n
Monsanto has agreed to pay a US$1 million penalty to the U.S.
\nDepartment of Justice to settle charges of bribing Indonesian
\ngovernment officials. It has also agreed to pay another $500,000
\nto the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.<\/p>\n
It confessed to the U.S. authorities that it bribed a senior
\nofficial with the environment ministry $50,000 in a bid to repeal
\nthe ministerial decree issued by Sonny, which was deemed not
\nfavorable to Monsanto's business here.<\/p>\n
Despite the cash payment, the senior official never dropped
\nthe environmental impact assessment (AMDAL) requirement for
\nMonsanto's products.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bungaran-denies-receiving-bribe-from-monsanto-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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