Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman has confirmed the legal process against an agricultural observer allegedly involved in a fictitious project that cost the state Rp5 billion (US$300,000).

He cited that the complaint report related to this case had been submitted to law enforcement after an investigation was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture. Audit results show that there were state losses due to fictitious projects involving the observer.

"I will expedite the legal process because many have lobbied me that he be forgiven, I reject it and am ready to face the risk for the people," Amran said on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

According to him, the report was made based on public concern, especially farmers who felt their enthusiasm was being damaged by baseless negative narratives. The observer's statements were considered to weaken food self-sufficiency efforts which are currently starting to bear fruit.

"Many already know who. This process has been ongoing up to law enforcement," he said.

In this case, 23 violations were found in the procurement of goods. The observer is a professor from a well-known university who has received a number of projects at the Ministry of Agriculture. However, he did not mention the observer's initials.

"The goods that were procured were not used. Many projects were fictitious and did not comply with the contract. After I took office again, there was no more room for corrupt practices. That is why he began to launch tendentious and baseless criticism," he said.

He revealed that the observer only spoke out loudly when he was in office. Sharp criticism was often expressed during Amran’s first term of leadership (2014-2019).

Then when the Agriculture Minister's position was held by another figure in the 2019-2023 period, such criticism was almost never heard. Criticism reappeared in 2024, after President Prabowo re-appointed Amran as Minister of Agriculture.

Amran also highlighted that most of the criticism from the observer was not based on valid data. The criticism covered various policies, such as the rice field printing program, food estate, mandatory 5 percent garlic planting policy for importers and the pumping program.

In fact, he criticized the food self-sufficiency target and accused the free lunch and milk programs of being prone to corruption.

He emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture is very open to constructive and data-based criticism. Constructive criticism is needed to encourage improvements and progress in the agricultural sector. However, if criticism is based on personal motives, it is an abuse of the role of intellectuals that is detrimental to the country.

"We are open to criticism. What we reject is criticism that is not in accordance with the data, manipulative, and has a hidden agenda. If criticism is used to disguise a conflict of interest, it is a form of betrayal," Amran said.

He reminded that baseless criticism can actually cause unrest, especially among farmers who are struggling in the field.

"What we reject is criticism that is not in accordance with the data, manipulative, and has a hidden agenda. Especially if it is proven to have a track record of corruption," he said.

Observer reported

The observer has now been reported to law enforcement because he is suspected of receiving a large project from the Ministry of Agriculture in the 2019-2023 period. However, when the storage room was closed, criticism with an aggressive tone emerged again.

"The Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Agriculture has conducted an investigative audit and found projects that were not in accordance with the contract, even indicated as fictitious. The total contract violations reached 23 points, and the state suffered losses of up to billions of rupiah," Amran said.

According to him, integrity in the Ministry of Agriculture is a non-negotiable price. Anyone who is proven to have harmed the state, whether observers, work partners, or internal employees of the Ministry will be dealt with firmly.

"This is an enemy of the state. No party is immune to the law, including observers or employees of the Ministry of Agriculture itself. We will not allow corruptors to roam the Ministry of Agriculture in any form or symbol," he said.