REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The House of Representatives (DPR) will soon summon Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukito in a near future. The House wanted to clarify a permit issued by the Trade Ministry to import 2 million tons of rice.

"I support the House Commission IV's plan to summon the trade minister to seek simple and comprehensive clarification on the rice import policy," House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo said in a written statement released on Friday.

Bambang was responding to information that the Trade Ministry had issued a permit to the National Logistics Board (Bulog) to import another 1 million tons of rice, bringing to 2 million tons the total rice imports licensed by the ministry.

He said the issuance of rice import permits had often sparked speculations. The trade minister is expected to attend a working meeting with the House Commission IV to clarify the speculations.

"DPR hopes that the trade minister's clarification will be able to ease the speculations," he said.

Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said earlier the ministry issued the permit to import another 1 million tons of rice three months ago. The permit will be valid until August 2018.

He said the additional rice imports are designed to augment the declining national rice stocks.

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