"Recipients should return the rice if it did not meet the specified quality."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said points which were prone to irregularities in distributing subsidized rice for poor families should be identified.

"Crucial points which are prone to deviations in the distribution of subsidized rice for poor families (Raskin), need to be identified," Iswan Elmi, the deputy for corruption prevention affairs of the KPK, said here on Monday.

Iswan said the points could exist from planning until the rice arrives at the target families,

He said that by knowing the critical points, preventive measures could be taken so that deviations would not take place.

The Ministry of Social Affairs responsible for the Raskin budget program in 2013 has asked for the involvement of the anti-graft body in the supervision of the rice distribution.

Iswan said there were four aspects that had to receive attention in the Raskin program, namely right recipients, rice specification, the volume of the rice and the distribution system.

He said that when talking about prevention there were things that should receive attention so that deviations would not take place during the distribution phase.

"We should pay attention to the right recipients, including the criteria of the recipients," he said.

He said that KPK had been given a good opportunity to monitor the distribution of subsidized rice for poor families or Raksin.

Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri has earlier written to the KPK asking the anti-graft body to help monitor the Raskin program from deviations.

"With this, the people would also understand that KPK also takes part in preventing irregularities. The burden we have is not trivial. We carry out a program with a big budget," the minister said.

Therefore, he said, the distribution of the rice was expected to reach its target by applying five correct aspects (5Ts).

"The five correct aspects (5Ts) are: rice arrives at the correct recipients, rice arrives in the correct volumes, rice arrives with a correct price, rice arrives on time and rice arrives without irregularities," the minister said here on Monday.

The minister made the remarks when the Raskin program for 2013 was launched in the presence of representatives of state logistics board Bulog, the State Audit Board (BPK) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Minister Salim said that the 5Ts were badly needed because the budget of the Raskin program was big, reaching Rp17.197 trillion for 15.5 million target families.

In the 2013 Raskin program, the Ministry of Social Affairs is is responsible for the program`s budget while Bulog is responsible for distributing the rice.

Each of the target family will get a 15-kg subsidized rice allocation per month with a price of Rp1,600 per kg. The government provides Rp7,751.86 subsidy for each kg of the rice.

"We do not want that some of the right recipients do not receive it. Therefore the ministry of social affairs asked the assistance of the KPK to help monitor the program so that it would reach the 5T goals," the minister said.

He said that the government had increased the amount of its subsidy for the Raskin program so that rice which would be distributed would have the medium quality.

Its water content should not exceed 14 percent with cleanliness not less than 90 percent. The broken parts of the rice should neither exceed 20 percent.

"Recipients should return the rice if it did not meet the specified quality," the minister said.

Public Service Director of Bulog Agustin Farid said Bulog was ready to change the rice in 2x24 hours if recipients complain of the rice quality.

Agustin said that the Raskin allocation for January and February 2013 had been distributed to 50,000 distribution points.
(Uu.A014/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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