Amran Temporarily Removes 14 Agriculture Ministry Officials, Non-Job Status Effective Today

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Minister of Agriculture and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Amran Sulaiman has again carried out a clean-up within the Ministry of Agriculture. This time, 14 officials have been removed from their positions for alleged irregularities involving money worth billions of rupiah.

The dismissals were carried out simultaneously with the inauguration of more than 30 Echelon II officials within the Ministry of Agriculture. Amran said the move was part of a refresh as well as a punishment for officials suspected of violations.

“Today we inaugurated more than 30 Echelon II officials. We inaugurated them; this is a refresh and a punishment. There are 14 we removed, including Echelon I, Echelon II, and Echelon III, and they are not given positions while they are being examined. If this truly harms the state, we will hand them over to law enforcement. We will act firmly,” Amran said at a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture Auditorium in Jakarta on Tuesday (18/8/2026).

“But conversely, if it is proven that they did nothing wrong, we will reappoint them and promote them again,” he continued.

Amran stressed that the dismissals were carried out by prioritising the principle of meritocracy. He even revealed that one of the dismissed officials is a close relative of his.

“So we must be sporting, meritocracy. In fact, among them is one of my close relatives. But this is done in the name of the state. Here we must be fair to them, meritocracy, merit system, because otherwise we are the same as breeding crime, allowing crime to occur in the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.

“Therefore, we are taking firm action, 14 people removed from their positions, including Echelon I, Echelon II, and Echelon III. All are non-job effective today,” he stressed.

When asked about the form of violations committed by the officials, Amran said the alleged violations were related to money with a value of billions of rupiah.

“The violation, in essence, is related to money, and the value is in the billions. The total value will clearly be in the billions. I give the Inspector General time to investigate for a maximum of 3 months, if possible 1 month to complete,” Amran said.

Amran also opened the possibility of further dismissals of other officials. He said the examination process is still ongoing and officials who are later proven to have alleged violations will be acted upon again.

According to him, the decision to remove the 14 officials has also been reported to President Prabowo Subianto. The report, he said, received a firm response from the President.

“There are still more to be acted upon, but they are being investigated first. If they are guilty, if there is an allegation of guilt, they will be removed again. We cannot do otherwise; we are under the President’s orders, and we reported to the President. Three days ago we reported, ‘Sir, there are these removals’, and he said one thing, ‘go for it’, the President said,” he stated.

He stressed that the clean-up process has not stopped with the 14 officials currently removed. When asked about the possibility of larger-scale dismissals, he chose to describe the current action as the initial stage.

“Oh, that is later, that is chapter 2, this is chapter 1. Just wait,” he said.

According to Amran, action against officials suspected of violations is part of efforts to build a merit system in the Ministry of Agriculture. He assessed that deviant practices will not stop merely by replacing people, so the supervisory system must be strengthened.

“So, crime will never end until the end of time. Therefore, we must build a merit system, and everyone must comply with the system. The system must be the commander, the law must be the commander, not the minister as the commander. That is not allowed,” Amran stressed.

“And there are also those who were previously given punishment, but it turned out their mistakes were not significant, and they were inaugurated today. We inaugurated them today; they were once removed by me and demoted, but this was negligence and the state loss was not significant, so we inaugurated them today,” he continued.

Furthermore, Amran also gave a firm message to the newly inaugurated officials not to engage in corruption, collusion, and nepotism.

“Do not commit corruption, do not collude, no nepotism. Not allowed! Improve performance,” he stressed.

The following are 37 Ministry of Agriculture officials inaugurated today:

• Dr. Yudi Sastro, S.P., M.P. - Expert Staff for Agricultural Environment

• Ayun Kristiyanto, S.H., M.H. - Head of Legal Bureau

• Indra Zakariya Rayusman, S.H., M.H. - Head of Centre for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing

• Muhammad Sidiq, S.TP., M.M. - Director of Pre-Harvest Agricultural Tools and Machinery

• Husnain, S.P., M.P., M.Sc., Ph.D. - Secretary of Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities

• Gunawan, S.P., M.Si. - Secretary of Directorate General of Food Crops

• Andi Muhammad Idil Fitri, S.E., M.M. - Director of Various Beans and Tubers

• Dr. Muhammad Agung Sunusi, S.P., M.Si. - Director of Horticultural Seed Development

• Dr. Ir. Tommy Nugraha, M.M. - Director of Fruits and Floriculture

• Dr. Ir. Sudi Mardianto, M.Si. - Director of Vegetables and Medicinal Plants

• Dr. Ir. Leli Nuryati, M.Sc. - Director of Horticultural Protection

• Mutiara Sari, S.TP., Ph.D. - Director of Downstreaming of Plantation Products

• Handi Arief, S.T., M.A.P. - Secretary of Agency for Agricultural Assembly and Modernisation

• Eko Nugroho Dharmo Putro, S.Kom., M.A.P. - Head of Centre for Agricultural Extension

• drh. Dinar Hadi Wahyu Hartawan, M.Sc. - Head of Maros Veterinary Centre

• Dr. drh. I Gde Eka Budhiyadnya, M.P. - Head of Denpasar Veterinary Centre

• Dr. Ir. Muhammad Thamrin, M.Si. - Head of Centre for Development of Agricultural Modernisation Systems

• Endro Gunawan, SP., ME., Ph.D. - Head of Lampung Centre for Application of Agricultural Modernisation

• Andry Polos, S.Kom., M.Si. - Head of Banten Centre for Application of Agricultural Modernisation

• Dr. Wahida Annisa Yusuf, SP., M.Sc. - Head of South Kalimantan Centre for Application of Agricultural Modernisation

• Kamri Alwi, S.Pi., M.Si. - Head of South Sulawesi Centre for Application of Agricultural Modernisation