PALMOILMAGAZINE, PALU – PT Rimbunan Alam Semesta (RAS), a subsidiary of PT Astra Agro Lestari, has recently come under scrutiny for allegedly annexing palm oil plantations in Morowali Utara Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The controversy arose following an investigation by the Central Sulawesi Prosecutor’s Office, which estimated that the country suffered losses of up to IDR 79 billion from this case alone.
Laode Sofyan, Head of the Legal Information Unit at the Central Sulawesi Prosecutor’s Office, reported that the case involves PT RAS’s occupation of land rights belonging to PT Perkebunan Nusantara XIV (PTPN XIV) since 2009, without proper permits. “The preliminary calculation indicates that losses could reach IDR 79 billion, and this amount is based on only one component of the case,” Sofyan told the media, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from deadline-news.com on Friday (6/9/2024).
The situation is reminiscent of the PT Duta Palma Nusantara case, owned by Surya Darmadi, where the company faced legal action for operating palm oil plantations without permits for years, potentially causing losses up to IDR 78 trillion for the country.
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For the plantation annexation, Central Sulawesi Prosecutor investigated the office of PT RAS in the Village of Era, Morut, on Tuesday (20/8/2024). It was from the Investigation Warrant and Search Warrant that was published and signed by Central Sulawesi Prosecutor based on Investigation Warrant Number: PRINT-05/P.2/Fd.1/08/2024 and Search Warrant Number: PRINT-58/P.2.5/Fd.1/08/2024, and Determination of Search Permit Number: 90/PenPid.B-GLD/2024/PN Pso.
In the execution that took place at 11.00 to 16.30 WITA, the investigator team successfully sealed two containers full of operational documents of PT RAS and 13 vehicles, such as, dump truck, excavator, and other operational vehicles.
The search ran smoothly with the supervision from the local army and witnessed by the workers of PT RAS. The investigators also sealed evidences based on the Seal Warrant.
The prosecutors should deal with the case to know more about corruption assumption and mis-authority by PT RAS. (P2)
