{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1338283,
        "msgid": "councillors-demand-probe-of-rice-fund-embezzlement-1447893297",
        "date": "2003-02-20 00:00:00",
        "title": "Councillors demand probe of rice fund embezzlement",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Councillors demand probe of rice fund embezzlement Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra North Sumatra legislative councillors have urged law enforcers to investigate the alleged embezzlement of Rp 2.037 billion from the sale of rice-for-the-poor to the public at traditional markets in the province.",
        "content": "<p>Councillors demand probe of rice fund embezzlement<\/p>\n<p>Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n<p>North Sumatra legislative councillors have urged law enforcers to<br>\ninvestigate the alleged embezzlement of Rp 2.037 billion from the<br>\nsale of rice-for-the-poor to the public at traditional markets in<br>\nthe province.<\/p>\n<p>Erwan Parlinda, chairman of the council's commission on social<br>\naffairs, said on Wednesday the North Sumatra Police should form a<br>\nteam to promptly handle the case and guarantee the smooth<br>\ndistribution of cheap rice to the poor.<\/p>\n<p>Any delay in unveiling the whereabouts of the money will give<br>\ncertain regional officials more opportunity to sell the rice in<br>\ntraditional markets, according to Abdi Nusa Tarigan, another<br>\nmember of the legislature.<\/p>\n<p>\"Rice for poor people, which should be sold for Rp 1,000 per<br>\nkilogram by regional logistics agencies (Dolog), is being sold in<br>\ntraditional markets for Rp 2,800. This must be the act of local<br>\nmafias,\" Abdi Nusa Tarigan told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n<p>The deputy chief of the local office of the State Logistics<br>\nAgency (Bulog), Rama Tedjakusuma, denied the presence of mafias<br>\nand officials selling the rice in traditional markets because any<br>\nrelease from Dolog warehouses had to be based on a delivery order<br>\nissued by the relevant regent or mayor.<\/p>\n<p>Rama said the money had not been misused, but regency and city<br>\nadministrations throughout North Sumatra had been late in paying<br>\nfor the rice, with three regencies recording the largest arrears<br>\nin January 2003 -- namely Deli Serdang Rp 545.882 million,<br>\nLangkat Rp 526.358 million and Toba Samosir Rp 360.54 million.<\/p>\n<p>\"These provinces payment delays for cheap rice are the biggest<br>\nin the country,\" Tedjakusuma said.<\/p>\n<p>Abdi Nusa Tarigan pointed out that the large arrears just<br>\nindicated the extent of embezzlement of the people's money by<br>\nofficials.<\/p>\n<p>\"The regencies and cities should have transferred the money<br>\nfrom the poor as soon as they received it,\" he remarked.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councillors-demand-probe-of-rice-fund-embezzlement-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}