InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto attended the handover ceremony of confiscated funds from the cooking oil corruption case at the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia, Monday (October 21). In his speech, the President emphasized that the return of state losses amounting to Rp13.25 trillion is not just a symbol, but tangible proof of the government's commitment to eradicate corruption and restore people's rights.
“With this Rp13 trillion, we can repair more than 8,000 schools. Or build around 600 fishermen villages complete with modern facilities,” said Prabowo in his speech.
Prabowo explained that the fishermen village development program is one of the government's priorities until 2026. Each fishermen village will receive a budget of around Rp22 billion. With a total target of 1,000 to 1,100 fishermen villages, the program is expected to improve the living standards of millions of coastal families in various regions.
“If one fishermen village is inhabited by 2,000 families, then at least 5 million Indonesian people will feel the benefits,” he emphasized.
Cooking Oil Corruption Deemed Inhumane
The President also harshly criticized the corruption practices in the cooking oil sector, which according to him have caused difficulties for people in obtaining basic needs. He called such actions not only greed, but could be categorized as “economic subversion”.
“This land and water produce belong to the Indonesian nation. However, people are left queuing and struggling for cooking oil. That's very cruel, very inhumane,” said Prabowo.
In addition to appreciating the Attorney General's Office, Prabowo also reminded law enforcement agencies to maintain integrity and not abuse authority. He emphasized the importance of siding with the little people and rejecting criminalization practices.
“Don’t look for trouble, especially against small people. If there's an elementary school kid stealing a chicken because he's hungry, that's not an enemy of the state. Law enforcers must have a heart,” he said firmly.
Prabowo even recalled a real story he personally helped: a child who was arrested for stealing a chicken was given a scholarship by him after the case went viral several years ago.
Determination to Eradicate Illegal Mining and Commodities
On the occasion, the President also mentioned state losses due to illegal mining activities and smuggling of commodities such as tin. Based on data, losses from these illegal practices are estimated to reach Rp40 trillion per year and have lasted almost two decades.
“If calculated, state losses could reach Rp800 trillion. Imagine, how much we could build with that much money,” he said.
He emphasized that the government will continue to take firm action against fraudulent practices, including price manipulation in export-import such as under invoicing and over invoicing that harm the state.
The speech was delivered coinciding with one year of Prabowo's leadership as President. He considered the return of corruption funds as a “good sign” for the government's journey.
“I feel this is a good sign. In the first year of my term, we witness the hard work of law enforcement officials saving state wealth. Let us continue this struggle to uphold justice and defend the weak,” concluded President Prabowo. (T2)
