For us, if anybody, be it minister, (is involved) based on sufficient evidence or fact, we will do that (process him legally).Jakarta (ANTARA) - Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin has said that he will not hesitate to legally process anybody, including ministerial-level officials, in connection with the recent case of cooking oil shortage.
"For us, if anybody, be it minister, (is involved) based on sufficient evidence or fact, we will do that (process him legally)," Burhanuddin said at a press conference at the Attorney General's Office in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The Attorney General's Office has named four suspects over the alleged issuance of permits for the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives, including cooking oil, from January 2021 to March 2022, which led to a scarcity of cooking oil.
The four suspects have been identified as director general of foreign trade, IWW; Permata Hijau Group senior manager for corporate affairs, SMA; PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia commissioner, MPT; and PT Musim Mas general manager for general affairs, PT.
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They were arrested from different places after they were named suspects in the case.
IWW allegedly issued permits for the export of CPO and its derivatives to Permata Hijau Group, PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, PT Multimas Nabati Asahan, and PT Musim Mas.
Asked if the Attorney General's Office has sought confirmation from the relevant minister, Burhanuddin said an in-depth investigation into the case is still underway.
"The investigation began only on April 4 (2022), and we will investigate (the case) profoundly. If there is sufficient evidence we will not do what we have to do.This means that if somebody is involved and there is sufficient evidence, we do that (investigate him),” he added.
The three suspects from the three companies had intensive communication with IWW.
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Through the communication, IWW agreed to issue export permits to Permata Hijau Group, PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, and PT Musim Mas.
In fact, the three companies were not entitled to get export permits because while they had distributed CPO, it was not in accordance with the domestic sale price.
IWW and MPT are being detained at the Salemba detention house of the Attorney General's Office's branch for 20 days from April 19 to May 8, 2022, while SMA and PT are being detained at Salemba detention house of the South Jakarta Public Prosecutor's Office's branch for 20 days from April 19 to May 8, 2022.
"We would like to affirm that the state is always and will be present to deal with the situation that causes difficulties to the people at large. And we will take stern measures against those capitalizing on the situation amidst the difficulties faced by the public," he said.
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Translator: Laily Rahmawaty, Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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