President Prabowo Subianto strongly criticized corrupt practices in Indonesia’s rice trade, promising to take action against companies that manipulate and increase the price of subsidized rice. Speaking at the 27th anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB), he revealed that these fraudulent activities result in annual losses of up to Rp100 trillion for the country. These companies repackage subsidized rice as “premium” and sell it for much higher prices, despite receiving various forms of government support throughout the production process. As many as 212 rice milling companies have been identified for engaging in such unethical practices and are required to return the profits gained through dishonest means.
Prabowo emphasized that these actions are not only unfair to the people but also constitute a criminal offense that directly violates the Constitution. He expressed his outrage at the extent of the financial losses incurred, noting that the funds could have been utilized for critical public service improvements. The President has instructed the National Police Chief and the Attorney General to investigate, prosecute, and confiscate assets related to this illegal scheme. He clarified that his actions are driven by the constitutional mandate to control sectors essential to the state, including rice production, in order to protect the livelihoods of the people. The crackdown on companies involved in cheating rice distribution is not a personal agenda but a commitment based on constitutional principles.
