, - The money laundering case that Syahrul Yasin Limpo is caught up in is an example of the chronic level of corruption in the Agriculture Ministry. Syahrul is alleged to have used the money he received to pay installments for a car for one of his children and beauty treatment for his wife. Like a king, the suspect received organized ‘tributes.
’ Almost every first-echelon official in the ministry made contributions to Syahrul. Syahrul Yasin Limpo’s charges at the Jakarta Corruption Court show that almost every directorate and unit at the Agriculture Ministry paid in funds from 2020 to 2023. The total amounts to Rp44.
5 billion. Giving evidence in court, officials from the echelon to the director-general level testified that this money came from cash contributions from staff in every directorate. These contributions ranged from Rp50 million to Rp4.
2 billion. All of this money was collected by Syahrul’s right-hand men, former Secretary-General Kasdi Subagyono, and former Agricultural Equipment and Machinery Director Muhammad Hatta. Prosecutors allege that Syahrul gave the orders to these two subordinates.
He had various needs, ranging from hiring an airplane to travel outside the capital to renovations to the bedroom of one of his children. It also came to light that Syahrul collected money to pay a dangdut singer. Kasdi and Hatta have been named suspects, but none of the top echelon officials have been touched.
The director-generals and other senior officials who also p.
