PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto attended the official handover of funds recovered from the cooking oil corruption case at the Attorney General’s Office on Monday (Oct 21). In his address, the President emphasized that the recovery of IDR13.25 trillion in state losses is not just symbolic—it represents a concrete commitment by the government to eradicate corruption and restore the people’s rights.
“With IDR13 trillion, we could rebuild more than 8,000 schools or construct around 600 modern fishing villages,” Prabowo said in his speech.
He explained that developing fishing villages remains one of the government’s top priorities through 2026. Each village will receive about IDR22 billion in funding, with a total of 1,000 to 1,100 villages targeted across the country. “If each fishing village houses about 2,000 families, that means at least five million Indonesians will directly benefit,” he added.
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Corruption in Cooking Oil Sector Deemed ‘Inhumane’
President Prabowo strongly condemned corruption in the cooking oil industry, calling it an act that deprived citizens of basic necessities. He described such crimes not merely as greed but as a form of “economic subversion.”
“These natural resources belong to the Indonesian people, yet many had to stand in line for cooking oil. That’s cruel and utterly inhumane,” he said.
Also Read: Prabowo Criticizes Cooking Oil Shortage: “It’s Greed, Not Free Market”
While commending the Attorney General’s Office for its success in recovering assets, Prabowo also reminded law enforcement institutions to maintain integrity and refrain from abusing their authority. He underscored the need for compassion and fairness, especially toward ordinary citizens.
“Don’t go after the poor or create cases where none exist. If an elementary school kid steals a chicken because he’s hungry, he’s not the enemy of the state. Law enforcement must have a heart,” Prabowo stated firmly.
He even recalled a real incident from years ago, when a child who was arrested for stealing a chicken received a scholarship from him after the case went viral.
Firm Stance Against Illegal Mining and Commodity Smuggling
Prabowo also addressed the massive financial losses the state incurs due to illegal mining and the smuggling of commodities like tin. He said the country loses an estimated IDR40 trillion annually from such illegal practices, a problem that has persisted for nearly two decades.
“If you calculate that over time, the losses could reach Rp800 trillion. Imagine how much we could have built with that,” he said.
The President vowed to continue cracking down on illicit activities, including manipulation in export-import pricing schemes such as under-invoicing and over-invoicing.
Delivered on the first anniversary of his presidency, Prabowo described the recovery of corruption funds as a positive sign for his administration. “This is a good omen. In my first year, we’ve seen our law enforcement agencies work hard to protect the nation’s wealth. Let’s keep this spirit alive—to uphold justice and defend the weak,” he concluded. (P2)
