TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is developing a new food estate program in Merauke, South Papua. This mega project, listed as a national strategic project (PSN), encompasses a vast area of 2.29 million hectares, seventy times the size of Jakarta. This project includes rice cultivation, sugarcane plantations, and the establishment of sugar and bioethanol factories.

The government's primary objective is to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2027 and meet the growing demand for sugar and bioethanol a year later.

To run this initiative, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appointed Bahlil Lahadalia, then Minister of Investment, as the Chairman of the Sugar Self-Sufficiency and Bioethanol Acceleration Task Force in Merauke. Bahlil and the government subsequently partnered with multiple companies to develop the sugarcane project.

Corporate Involvement in the Sugarcane Project

A report by Tempo Newspaper revealed that ten companies, organized into four consortiums, are involved in the food self-sufficiency project. These companies are managing the initial phase of the sugarcane project, encompassing 637,429 hectares of land in cluster 3 designated for sugarcane plantations, as well as sugar and bioethanol factories.

The participating companies include:

1. PT Global Papua Abadi: Managing a concession area of 30,777 hectares.

2. PT Andalan Manis Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,786 hectares.

3. PT Semesta Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 66,056 hectares.

4. PT Dutamas Resources International: Managing a concession area of 60,879 hectares.

5. PT Borneo Citra Persada: Managing a concession area of 50,772 hectares.

6. PT Global Papua Makmur: Managing a concession area of 60,364 hectares.

7. PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri: Managing a concession area of 52,395 hectares.

8. PT Berkat Tebu Sejahtera: Managing a concession area of 60,342 hectares.

9. PT Agrindo Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,679 hectares.

10. PT Sejahtera Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,606 hectares.

Allegations of First Resources Affiliation

President Jokowi attended the inaugural sugarcane planting event within the PT Global Papua Abadi concession in Sermayam Indah Village, Tanah Miring District, on July 23, 2024. Notably, he was accompanied by several parties, including Martias Fangiono, the founder of the palm oil corporation First Resources, and his daughter Wirastuty Fangiono.

Based on Tempo Newspaper's report, Franky Samperante, Director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, suspected that several companies involved in the sugarcane project are affiliated with First Resources.

“We believe they are affiliated with First Resources, especially given the presence of Martias Fangiono and his daughter Wirastuty Fangiono at the first sugarcane planting event with President Jokowi,” Franky said.

He also speculated that First Resources not only secured sugarcane and bioethanol factory concessions through PT Global Papua Abadi but also through four other companies. They are PT Andalan Manis Nusantara, PT Semesta Gula Nusantara, PT Borneo Citra Persada, and PT Dutamas Resources International.

First Resources denied these allegations. In response to Tempo's interview request, the company affirmed that they have no connections with the corporations developing sugarcane plantations in Merauke.

“We would like to clarify that the names mentioned in your email are not connected to First Resources,” they wrote on September 20, 2024. First Resources further explained that their primary operations are in the palm oil sector, concentrated in Riau, East Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan.

RADEN PUTRI | AVIT HIDAYAT

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