Denying The News That Food Aid Makes Rice Prices Rise, Erick Thohir Is Confused Why Should There Be A Commotion

SOE Minister Erick Thohir (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir denied reports that the government's food assistance program caused rice prices to rise at the merchant level. Erick said that this program had been run by the government for a long time.

Erick said the program was intended for people who really need it and are included in the list of Beneficiary Families (KPM).

"The social assistance program has been going on for a long time. So I am also confused why it should be fussed about now, and I think for people who don't need it, it might be easy to talk," he said while reviewing the price of Bulog rice at a modern shopping center in the Klender area, East Jakarta, Monday, February 12.

Erick also admitted that he could not stop the assistance program for the community. The reason is, assistance like this is needed by the community.

"But if the people below need it, we can stop programs like this," he said.

Furthermore, Erick also likened the presence of food assistance programs to energy subsidies, which are budgeted annually by the Government. He said, the main goal of the program is to ease the economic burden on the community.

Erick also admitted that he had never provided or distributed food aid on behalf of himself or the Ministry of SOEs.

"We have never, personally, never done social assistance. But even when we do cheap market interventions during COVID, we do and nothing is noisy. So believe me this policy was indeed taken to serve the people who were not able to," he said.