POLICE INVESTIGATING SUSPECTED SYNTHETIC RICE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - The local authorities are investigating the suspected circulation of synthetic rice that has sparked widespread uproar after reports on the discovery of plastic substances in rice that caused nausea and dizziness among the consumers.          The government is still investigating the reported fake rice, Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel stated on Wednesday.          "Yesterday, I already assigned my staff to conduct a laboratory test on the suspected fake rice to confirm whether it really contains plastic," he noted.          The Directorate General of Standardization and Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Trade is conducting an investigation after the Bantargebang police, Bekasi, West Java, found the suspected synthetic rice.          The widespread reports have created furor across the country, triggering panic among residents about the rice they consumed had contained plastic that might endanger their health.          "We are now investigating and checking it in Bekasi. We have sent the sample to the laboratory to examine it and are still waiting for the result of the examination," Director General of Standardization and Consumer Protection Widodo affirmed on Tuesday.          He remarked that the Ministry of Trade had never issued a license for the import of synthetic rice as his ministry could not issue a license for rice import without a recommendation from the Ministry of Agriculture.            "We have found suspected synthetic rice in Bekasi but have not obtained information on the origin of the commodity," noted Widodo.          He explained that if it is proven that the rice is synthetic and was circulated in the open market, it can be ascertained that it had been imported illegally. This is a crime that is punishable under the food law.          Trade Minister Gobel stated that no permit had been issued to import synthetic rice to be circulated for consumption in the country.          "If this really exists, we will take action against the perpetrators. That is why we are still waiting for the results of the examination but, for sure, the import of such commodity has not been permitted," remarked Gobel.          He claimed that he had urged the Directorate General of Standardization and Consumer Protection to check and conduct on-field supervision with regard to the reports of the presence of plastic in rice in West Java's Bekasi, one of Jakarta's satellite towns.          He noted that his office is still examining the rice that was sold in Bekasi. He added that if the rice had been imported without a permit, investigation will be conducted on distributors who sold the rice.         The trade minister that day inspected several traditional markets, including in the Cibinong market, to check the distribution of rice containing plastic.         The plastic rice issue has emerged in the past few days and has attracted the attention of various parties.         The Bantargebang Police officers of Bekasi City, West Java, closed a rice kiosk on Tuesday, which was suspected to have sold rice containing plastic substances at the Mutiara Gading Market, Mustikajaya sub-district.         "We also detained the owner of the kiosk identified as Sembiring along with four of his workers to be examined as witnesses," Bantargebang Police Precinct Chief Commissioner Gatot Suyanto emphasized.          Sembiring noted that he had procured the rice from a distributor in Karawang area (also in West Java) at a price of Rp eight thousand per kilogram.          Several consumers complained of stomach ache and dizziness after consuming nasi uduk (rice cooked in coconut milk) allegedly made using the rice that they purchased from Sembiring.      "Many of my customers complained of stomach ache and dizziness after consuming porridge and nasi uduk, which I made from the rice," Dewi Septiani (29), a nasi uduk trader in Bekasi, noted.          Dewi, who sells nasi uduk and porridge at GT Grande Mutiara Gading house-shop complex, Mustikajaya, claimed to have bought rice from Sembiring to make nasi uduk and porridge.          In the meantime, Chief of the Bakasi City Police Resort Senior Commissioner Rudi Setiawan stated that his side was seeking explanations from an expert team regarding the alleged circulation of the suspected synthetic rice.          "I call on the people to remain calm. Please give us time to work and to examine it, so that we have the required legal evidence before we take any action," noted Setiawan in Bekasi on Tuesday.          Setiawan said that his side had sent the sample to the laboratory for testing to check whether it is synthetic or not. The sample was sent to Bekasi City's Industry and Trade Office, which would further send it for a laboratory test at the Food and Drug Supervision Agency (BPOM) or at the Jakarta State Logistic Board (Bulog).         "We will reveal the results of the examination to the public in the near future," he stated.          Setiawan said he had questioned the kiosk owner Sembiring and four of his workers.          Besides this, the police are also still collecting information from witnesses, including the one who reported the case, Dewi Septiani who worked as a porridge and nasi uduk seller.          "According to Septiani, the rice is different from common rice," Setiawan pointed.          He said the witness informed the police that she had obtained the rice from Durenjaya area, Bekasi Timur sub-district, Bekasi City.         "However, after it was investigated, one of the sources said the rice was bought from a distributor in Karawang, West Java," he noted.         He said the police have temporarily closed the kiosk that sold the rice.         "There is about one ton of rice in the kiosk," Setiawan added.     ***2*** (T.A014/INE) EDITED BY INE (T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 20-05-2015 19:28