Will Be Summoned By Commission VI Of The DPR Regarding The Politization Of Social Assistance, This Is The Response Of The Minister Of Trade Zulhas

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan alias Zulhas raised his voice regarding the plan of Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the DPR Aria Bima, to ask for his statement regarding the politicization of social assistance or social assistance.

"What can I say. The more you say, the better. The better you are called, the better," he said at the Ministry of Trade office, Jakarta, Thursday, January 4.

On Tuesday, January 2, Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the House of Representatives Aria Bima said he would summon the Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan to claim President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) social assistance program. This statement is considered a form of politicization of government programs.

It is known, Zulhas talked about social assistance during a campaign in Kendal Regency, Central Java on December 26, 2023. The general chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) told the government's success and had time to ask who provided the assistance Jokowi answered by the surrounding community.

"It is an unnecessary politicization of social assistance, which is used by the news for the people only to get electoral politics is something inhumane. We will ask that in Commission VI of the DPR RI," Aria told reporters at the PDIP DPP office, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, January 2.

Instead of politicizing the social assistance program, continued Aria, Zulhas was asked to focus on his work as Minister of Trade.

One of them is by trying to control the prices of basic commodities such as rice and chilies.

"Pak Zul should concentrate on increasing rice, which today reaches Rp. 15,000 and chilies reach Rp. 175.000," said the chairman of the PDIP National Culture Agency (BKN).