Rice Pikul Ala Zulhas: Settings In The Midst Of Disasters

The Action Of The Coordinating Minister For Food Zulkifli Hasan Who Beared Sack rice (Ist)

JAKARTA - The action of the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan who carried sack rice while providing logistical assistance to victims of floods and landslides in Sumatra drew public attention. Instead of getting praise, Zulhas' actions became the target of netizens and were said to be being imaged.

In addition to comments that mention Zulhas imaging, many memes and even AI videos depict the general chairman of PAN. Not a few of them poked Zulhas as champions for releasing millions of hectares of forest to be used as plantations.

Not only Zulhas, a member of the DPR from PAN, Verrel Bramasta, was also criticized by netizens. The reason is, when he came to the disaster site, Verrel's style of dress was highlighted because he was wearing a TNI-style vest complete with his name plate. Even Verrel's behavior, who is a celebrity, was considered like shooting.

Responding to Zulhas' action, political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, Jamiluddin Ritonga, assessed that the behavior of the General Chairperson of PAN was excessive. The reason is, at that time there were so many groups accompanying him, but he even carried rice alone.

"The behavior of the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan who carried rice while reviewing flood victims in Sumatra was certainly very excessive," Jamiluddin told VOI, Saturday, December 6.

"Moreover, when Zulkifli Hasan was carrying the rice alone. Even though at that time he was with a group that did not carry rice," he continued.

Therefore, Jamiluddin assessed that Zulkifli Hasan's rice pick-up action seemed to be setting in the midst of a disaster. "The setting is of course intended to give an impression as if Zulkifli Hasan was empathizing with disaster victims," said Jamiluddin.

"It's just that the setting is very rough, so people think that Zulkifli Hasan is carrying rice just an image," he added.

According to Jamiluddin, the public's perception backfired for Zulkifli Hasan. As a result, he said, the public actually considered the negative behavior of the Presidential Staff's father in the tourism sector, Zita Anjani.

"People think that it is inappropriate in an atmosphere of grief, there are officials who carry out imaging. I hope that will make many people then judge Zulkifli Hasan as negative. This seems to have surfaced on social media," explained Jamiluddin.

"So, the behavior of carrying rice is influenced by the community as an image. This is certainly considered not good in the midst of the suffering of the community," he concluded.