Prabowo’s younger brother explains the existence of his company in lobster exports

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The national businessman and younger brother of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, once revealed about his company, PT Bima Sakti Mutiara, that it is always associated with the export of fingerlings.

The President and Director of PT Bima Sakti Mutiara is Saraswati Djojohadikusumo. Saraswati is the son of Hashim who is currently fighting in the South Tangerang regional elections of the Gerindra Party.

In an old video that Saraswati uploaded to his Facebook and Youtube accounts as seen on Friday (4/12/2020), Hashim revealed the reason why his company entered the lobster business.

Also read: These are the findings of the irregularities in the export of lobster seeds in Bengkulu

“I have been involved in the marine sector for 34 years, 34 years, in 1986. We exported pearls for the first time in 1989. We have been dealing with the KKP for decades,” Hashim said.

In other words, he emphasized that his company was already involved in the maritime and fisheries sector long before Gerindra Party politician Edhy Prabowo was appointed as KP minister.

He revealed that the reason he got into the lobster business was because the pearl business climate was in tough shape a few years ago. The goal is for the company to survive.

“Five years ago, our pearl business suffered a loss and stagnated. That may be the world market. At that time we were thinking about diversification. There were 214 employees, instead of the layoffs of 2014, it is better to look for other fields”, Hashim said.

Also read: Faced with accusations of export of fingerlings, Prabowo’s nephew names Hotman Paris

Lobster itself is actually just one of PT Bima Sakti Mutiara’s lines of business, so he objected that his company was always associated with the lobster seed export controversy.

“We don’t just grow lobsters. We also grow sea cucumbers, crabs, grouper and various other fishing businesses. What are sea cucumbers good for? For medicinal (materials) abroad, a lot is needed,” Hashim said.

“Then for cosmetics, food, etc. Not just lobster, but also other crops. As if it was always the lobster export license (that was announced),” added Hashim.

Clarification by Saraswati Djojohadikusumo

Saraswati Djojohadikusumo, who is also vice chairman of the Gerindra Party and nephew of Prabowo Subianto, confirmed that his family business, PT Bima Sakti Mutiara, has not yet carried out any export activities.

Also read: When NU and Muhammadiyah Compact called for lobster seed exports to be stopped

Although he now admits that he is no longer active as president and director of PT Bima Sakti Mutiara, Saraswati Djojohadikusomo claims that the company has released lobster seeds into the wild.

“I can assure you that so far the company has not exported fingerlings. In fact, what we did a few weeks ago was release or repopulate lobsters in the wild,” Sara said in her statement quoted by Tribunnews.

For this reason, he also denied any link between the company and the case of bribery for the export of fingerlings that caught the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Edhy Prabowo. He said the bribery case that caught Edhy only involved one company.

Other than that, Sara said there were absolutely no practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism in the license registry as a fry exporter. All publicly traded companies, including PT Bima Sakti Mutiara, go through the same process.

Also read: These are the KPPU findings on the irregularities in the Lobster Seed Export Monopoly at the KKP

“We went through the permit registration process, as did 60 other companies that obtained permits,” he said.

According to Saraswati Djojohadikusumo, the appearance of this issue is closely related to her nomination as Deputy Mayor of South Tangerang at Pilkada 2020.

“I know he will most likely be misled into attacking me in a political contest. A strategy like this is nothing new. And unfortunately, my guess is correct,” Saraswati said.

He claimed that his confession had been obtained through torture. Because you think you are not wrong.

As previously reported, KP Minister Edhy Prabowo, along with several officials from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and family members were arrested by the KPK at Soekarno-Hatta airport on Wednesday 25 November.

Also read: Luhut opens the possibility of continuing the export of lobster seeds

After being questioned, Edhy was named a suspect in the alleged bribery case related to the lobster seed export license.

This Gerindra Party politician is suspected of receiving 3.4 billion rupees and $ 100,000 from PT Aero Citra Kargo.

The company is suspected of receiving money from various lobster seed exporters, because exports can only be made through PT Aero Citra Kargo at a transportation cost of Rs 1,800 per head.

In addition to Edhy, the KPK also named six other suspects in this case, namely the special staff of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Safri and Andreau Pribadi Misata, the management of PT Aero Citra Kargo Siswadi, the staff of the wife of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ainul Faqih, the Director of PT Dua Putra Perkasa Sujito, and a private party named Amiril Mukminin.

Also read: Edhy Prabowo resigns from cabinet, KKP is waiting for Jokowi’s decision