Buwas Outspoken About Meeting With Jokowi: Focus On Rice Polemics

JAKARTA - The main director of Perum Bulog, Budi Waseso, opened up about his meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) a few days ago.

Buwas admitted that the meeting with Jokowi only focused on discussing the polemic on rice prices.

As is known, Jokowi summoned the Managing Director of Bulog Public Housing Budi Waseso, Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan, and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi to the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 31.

At the meeting, Buwas said, Jokowi ordered Bulog to intensify the Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) program, also known as market operations, throughout Indonesia.

Thus, Bulog is obliged to pour out its stock of rice to markets.

"Mr. President told me, the main thing is no more expensive rice. And the rice that is in Bulog or that is imported must all be released. Bulog must be able to do that," he said at the Bulog Head Office, Kuningan, South Jakarta, Thursday, February 2.

Buwas said, with President Jokowi's order, he immediately instructed his staff to be able to increase the SPHP program so that the price and availability of rice in the community could be stable.

"Yesterday I also instructed my staff to carry out Mr. President's orders. Mr. President hopes that the price of rice can be intervened as soon as possible," said Buwas.

Not to forget, said Buwas, Jokowi also warned Bulog to be careful in terms of rice imports.

Jokowi does not want rice imports to instead optimize the absorption of farmers' production by Bulog.

"He also advised not to let imports interfere with production from farmers or absorption by our farmers. That's why I continue to pursue (farmer absorption)," he said.

Buwas' explanation regarding his meeting with President Jokowi at the same time broke the issue that is currently circulating, regarding the connection between Buwas and the issue of reshuffling the ranks of ministers in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet.

This is because the Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin did not appear to be present at the meeting at the State Palace. Regarding this matter, Buwas admitted that he did not know anything about it.

"I don't know," said Budi Waseso after attending a meeting at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 31.

"The people who were invited, me, are the only three dealing with rice, right? This is a matter of channeling the Trade Minister's market operations, that is stabilization, I am the executor, Mr. Arief is the one who calculates the balance," he said.

The meeting, said Budi, only discussed rice.

When asked whether President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) discussed plans for a cabinet reshuffle, Budi admitted that he did not know about it.

“Nothing,” he said.