The government initiative to import rice to stabilize prices and prevent inflation has been tainted by the evil deeds of people making personal gains.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA
Banten Regional Police Chief Inspector General Rudy Heriyanto, Main Director of Bulog Public Housing Budi Waseso, and Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktabar (from left to right) showing rice as evidence to journalists at the Banten Regional Police Office, Friday (10/2/2023).
Rice has contributed recently to inflation in the country. The government has imported 500,000 tonnes of rice since 16 Dec. 2022. The rice imported from Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan and Myanmar arrived in Indonesia in stages through 14 ports located in Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Lampung, Jakarta, Banten, East Java and East Nusa Tenggara. It is hoped that its distribution will be easier and faster, so that the goal of suppressing inflation can be achieved effectively.
In January 2023, rice also contributed to inflation. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), inflation in January stood at 0.34 percent. In the food and beverage (F&B) and tobacco goods categories, rice is the main contributor to monthly inflation. The price of rice increased 2.34 percent that month.
The increase in the price of rice has caused a burden to the people in the middle of an economy that has not yet fully recovered from the pandemic’s impact and the growing risk of a recession in many countries. However, the importation of the commodity to supplement the government's rice reserves has been abused by those wanting to enrich themselves. As many as seven people have been arrested in Serang, Banten, because they were found to have misused imported rice. They mixed quality imported rice with local rice and sold the rice at prices higher than the government’s maximum retail price (HET).
They took advantage of the difference in the price of rice imported by Perum Bulog with the market price. Bulog sells premium quality imported rice at Rp 8,300 (US$0.55) per kilogram under the scheme for medium quality rice. Meanwhile, according to Trade Minister Regulation No. 57/2017, the HET for medium quality rice is between Rp 9,450 and Rp 10,250 per kg, while the HET for premium price ranges from Rp 12,800 to Rp 13,600 per kg.
KOMPAS
Evidence of irregularities in imported rice by seven suspects presented by the Banten Regional Police, Friday (10/2/2023)..,
The Food Task Force revealed that the suspects arrested in Serang were selling imported rice for Rp 11,800 per kg. Just do the math: If they bought the rice at Rp 8,300 per kg, they will reap a gross profit of Rp 3,500 per kg.
The price disparity has prompted parties with malicious intent to make a profit, and not only from imported rice. The 3-kilogram cylinders of subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that are sold to the poor for Rp 4,250 per kg, are being transferred to 12 kg cylinders and sold at the nonsubsidized price. The retail price of LPG is Rp 18,500 per kg. Just imagine how much profit they make.
The Food Task Force and Bulog’s commitment to take firm action against diverted rice imports have not deterred the perpetrators from this crime. So supervision must be strengthened further and the law enforced indiscriminately. Don't stop with just the perpetrators in the field; investigate to uncover the brains behind the crime.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
