16.5 tons of bad rice replaced

PADANG, West Sumatra: The head of the West Sumatra chapter of the National Logistics Agency (Dolog), Muslim Kasim, said on Saturday that his office would replace the 16.5 metric tons of rice aid found rotting in several district offices here.

The low-quality rice was provided by the Ministry of Food and Horticulture.

According to Pauh village chief Suardi M.T., residents badly needed the rice because of food shortages.

"But several families returned the rice because it was already rotten," Suardi said.

Darisman, chief of Dolog in Painan, said the low-quality rice rotted after only a few days of storage. "The district officials stored it for more than a week. By the time they distributed the rice, it had spoiled."

Muslim maintained the distribution was actually not within Dolog's responsibility. "The district officials failed to distribute the rice on time and stored it in poorly ventilated rooms." (28/edt)