Share Free Rice Cookers Knocking Out 342,000 Units, What's Up?

JAKARTA - The rice cooker distribution program (AML) by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) reportedly stopped at 342,000 units.

The Director General of Electricity, Jisman P. Hutajulu, said that his party would not continue this free rice cooker distribution program, even though initially it was targeted to be distributed as many as 500,000 units by 2023.

"Not all of them have spoken at 342,000," said Jisman to the media crew quoted on Thursday, February 22.

Jisman said the reason the program was stopped was because it used the budget from the 2023 State Budget. For this reason, 342,000 rice cookers have been distributed while the remaining budget that has not been utilized will be returned to the state.

"Kan 500.000 (targetnya), sudah salurkan 342.000, sisanya dikembalikan ke negara uangnya. Nanti kita lihat apakah tahun ini mau dilanjutkan atau tidak," sambung Jisman.

On the other hand, Jisman also said the reason this program stopped was due to the limited time available. Just so you know, the AML distribution program was only opened in October 2023.

"Because the time was narrow yesterday," concluded Jisman.

Based on VOI records, Throughout 2023, it was recorded that the distribution of riskookers had been carried out as many as 342,621 units out of 500,000 prepared.

Jisman said that the distribution of AML was distributed the most in Java and Bali as many as 192,890 units, followed by Sumatra as many as 61,040 units, Sulawesi 36,648 units, Kalimantan 35,307 units, Nusa Tenggara 7459, Maluku 5640 and Papua 3637 units.

"Maybe the question is why Java - Bali is more because this concerns the readiness of electricity because this is a big demand," said Jisman at a press conference in Jakarta, Thursday, January 18.

Jisman explained that the selection of Java and Bali was because per unit of riskooker needed at least 300 to 350 watts. In addition, the excess electricity capacity is also one of the reasons for Java and Bali to get the most AML allocations.

"Jabali is more than 50 percent because our Java Bali system has overcapacity and is important," explained Jisman.