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Malaysian businessman wanted for alleged embezzlement
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Vendors sell quid, which usually consists of betel leaf, betel nut and lime.
(JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
T
he Tanjungjabung Barat Police in Jambi are on the hunt for a Malaysian businessman who allegedly embezzled Rp 22 billion (US$1.5 million) from local betel nut traders.
The police had contacted immigration authorities to prevent Harjid Singh, the embezzlement suspect and president director of betel nut processing company PT Sari Nurto, from traveling overseas, Tanjungjabung Barat Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. ADG Sinaga said, adding that the police had yet to locate him.
“The police were digging deeper into the case. We had questioned 12 people who filed reports,” he said on Wednesday.
A warehouse owned by the company was sealed by the police in Sungai Sare village, Bram Itam district, as a security measure.
The first reports of alleged embezzlement were filed in late December, when traders reported they had not been paid by the company.
One trader, Andi Nawir, said he suffered Rp 350 million in losses as he had sold betel nuts to the company for the past six months.
He said he was interested in selling the nuts to Singh as his company bought them at high prices. The company offered to pay traders Rp 20,000 to Rp 22,000 per kilogram of betel nut, higher than the average market price of Rp 16,000 per kilogram.
“The company usually paid after three deliveries. Up to 10 tons for each delivery [were allowed],” Andi said, adding that, after he and other traders received no payments, they filed reports to the police. (vla/rin)
