Gapki Supports President Prabowo's Policy To Make State Strategic Asset Palm Oil

Illustration. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (Gapki) appreciates President Prabowo Subianto's statement that palm oil is a state asset so that all parties are obliged to protect it.

General Chairperson of Gapki Eddy Martono said President Prabowo really understands palm oil as a strategic commodity that is beneficial for meeting national food and energy needs.

"The president has a good policy to make palm oil a strategic commodity that must be maintained by all components of the nation. Because the energy independence program through B40 or B50 requires palm oil as its raw material," he said in a statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Monday, January 6.

Eddy also hopes for the support of regional heads and Polri-TNI officers to maintain palm oil as a state asset and have an important role in the Indonesian economy as directed by President Prabowo.

According to him, with the President's direction, the problem of theft and looting of palm oil in several areas can be resolved immediately, it can be stopped so that there is legal certainty and comfort in doing business.

Currently, he continued, his party always coordinates with law enforcement officials to prevent and overcome criminal acts in oil palm plantations such as theft and looting.

"Criminalism in oil palm plantations has now decreased considerably, not as severe as a few months ago," he said.

Following up on President Prabowo's directive, Eddy hopes that the Strategic Commodity Bill will soon be passed to support the existence of palm oil and business comfort.

"So with the Strategic Commodity Law, we can support the protection of the palm oil industry as a state asset," he said.

Previously, President Prabowo said oil palm plantations were state assets. According to him, many countries need palm oil from Indonesia because it has strategic value. Therefore, Prabowo asked regional heads, soldiers, and the police to take care of him.

"So, regents, governors, army officials, police, take care of our oil palm plantations everywhere. Those are state assets," Prabowo said while giving a briefing at the National Development Planning Conference at the Bappenas Building, Central Jakarta, Monday 30 December 2024.

Meanwhile, Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Firman Subagyo agreed that palm oil is an asset of the nation, therefore his party is committed to continuing to protect oil palm farmers through the preparation of special regulations.

"As a representative of the people, I remain committed to proposing the realization of the strategic commodity law in which there is palm oil in it," said Firman.

One of the concrete things is done, he continued, the DPR encourages laws on the protection of strategic commodities, including the experience of palm oil.

In any country, he continued, like America, there are four different commodities protected by law, cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat because there is potential for state revenue.

Then in Turkey, there is the protection of a tobacco law, in Malaysia, which has a law on post-dispute.

"With a large enough land area managed by small farmers, like it or not, this strategic commodity protection law must be enacted," he said.