Minister Of Finance Purbaya Challenges DPR On Cooking Oil Assistance: Why Not 5 Liters At Once?

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewo (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Purbaya Yudhi Sadewo revealed that the government initially proposed food assistance of 10 kilograms (kg) of rice equipped with 1 liter of Cooking Oil. However, the DPR RI Budget Agency asked to add 2 liters for each beneficiary.

Hearing this, Purbaya also challenged the DPR RI Budget Agency to increase food assistance in the form of Cooking Oil to 5 liters per beneficiary family (KPM).

Earlier the government needed 2 months 10 kg (rice) each month, then one liter (of cooking oil). That was the case, Mr. Said (Head of Banggar) asked for 2, I challenge, 'yes, why 2? 5 liters, Mr. Said apparently. So don't blame me, "said Purbaya at the DPR Plenary Meeting, at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 23.

Purbaya's statement immediately made the atmosphere of the meeting room more fluid, even though it brought serious messages related to the amount of social assistance that the government wanted to give to the public.

Purbaya said the proposal from the DPR Banggar would be considered as long as it was in accordance with the state's financial condition. Currently, he said, the distribution of 2 liters of cooking oil for the first two months is still a trial.

"Pak Said didn't dare, 'I'm just asking 2', so I've given 2 (litaries). So I've answered, Mr. Said, yes, and this is just the beginning," said Purbaya.

According to Purbaya, if later after the trial of this assistance is deemed insufficient, the government is ready to increase its allocation. He said that unemployed funds are better off being transferred to programs that target the community directly, either in the form of subsidies or assistance.

"Instead of hanging out there, in BI or in government accounts, I distributed it to the public in the form of subsidies earlier. The two months are still being tried, sir, if it is still lacking, we will add more, so you don't have to be afraid, I'm committed," he said.

Previously, the Government would add 10 kilograms (kg) of rice food assistance with 2 liters of cooking oil per month. Meanwhile, President Prabowo has decided to continue this rice food aid program until December 2025.

Head of the National Food Agency (NFA) Arief Prasetyo Adi ensured that the government is preparing for the Prorakyat program and is targeted to start in October.

"For rice food assistance in two months October and November, it has indeed been approved, in the form of 10 kilos of rice for 18.27 KPM (Beneficiary Families). Yesterday in the dynamics there was a proposal from the Chairman of the DPR Banggar, for an additional 2 liters of cooking oil. We prepare a good one for our community," said Arief in an official statement, Monday, September 22.

Arief also ensured that the food aid packages in the form of rice and cooking oil that would be given were of good quality.

"Regarding quality, of course it must be good. Food assistance should not be bad. Of course later for rice and cooking oil it must also be equally good," he said.

For your information, the food assistance program will certainly use the Government Food Reserve (CPP) stock managed by food SOEs. As of September 19, CPP in the form of rice is still very capable with a total of 3.91 million tons. Meanwhile, there are 7,000 kiloliters of cooking oil in Perum Bulog and 48 kiloliters in ID FOOD.