Bulog Dismisses Synthetic Rice Issue

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Logistics Agency (Bulog) Director, Budi Waseso or Buwas, has spoken up in response to the rampant issue of synthetic rice that has been widely discussed in the community.

He suspected that the issue was raised by parties seeking to topple the government amid serious efforts to stabilize the supply and price of rice in the country. The government, through Bulog, continues to intensify food assistance programs and market operations.

“It (the issue) is spread by people who want to find fault in the government as if it doesn't pay attention to quality, which is impossible,” Buwas said after monitoring the unloading process of an imported rice ship that had just docked at Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, on Thursday, October 12, 2023.

He said that it was very unlikely that the government would distribute rice made of plastic because the price of plastic was higher than that of rice.

The former head of the National Police’s criminal investigation unit also claimed that his side had never found synthetic rice. He called on the public to be more careful and not to be easily provoked by fake news or hoaxes.

Buwas then urged law enforcement officers from the Food Task Force to arrest those spreading false information related to rice. “I emphasize that rice, especially the rice under Bulog's jurisdiction, is safe for consumption because it has been clinically tested by a food health laboratory,” he said.

Buwas acknowledged that the information on imported rice was prone to be distorted. “I assert that it is impossible for the government to adopt detrimental policies.”

AMY HEPPY | ANTARA

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