Coordinating Minister Zulhas: Merauke Will Be A National Food And Energy Motorbike

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulhas (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The government is accelerating the construction of a national food, energy and water self-sufficiency area that will be built in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province.

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said that the Merauke area would be prepared as a food security center as well as energy for today and the future.

"The area is prepared as a food security center as well as energy, yes, for today and the future," he said at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 16.

Zulhas, as he is familiarly called, said that through this program the government increased national food stocks. He also said the government needed wider land to meet domestic food needs.

In addition, said Zulhas, free nutritious food programs also need additional carbohydrates, because it needs land clearing other than Java.

"Indeed, we have a surplus of rice carbohydrates, around 3 million more this year, but with this nutritious food we are worried. Therefore, residents also continue to increase, while the land in Java is decreasing. So this is indeed what we will do in Merauke, precisely in Wanam," he explained.

This step, continued Zulhas, is in line with President Prabowo Subianto's direction so that Indonesia is independent, no longer depends on other countries for the basic needs of the people.

"So indeed we must be sovereign, there should be no bargaining all at cost," he said.

The Merauke area is also projected to be a source of new jobs, in line with the government's economic stimulus program which emphasizes employment.

"With this acceleration, Merauke will become a motor for food, energy and national water independence as well as open up opportunities for broad work for the community," he concluded.