Cak Imin: Massive Social Assistance Turns Out To Be Unable To Stabilize Rice Prices

PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar/DOK

Vice Presidential Candidate number 1 Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) assesses that President Joko Widodo's massive rice reserve distribution of social assistance (bansos) is not effective in controlling rice prices that continue to skyrocket.

This rice aid has been distributed by the government since a few days before the 2024 General Election. However, until now, rice prices have not been stable.

As of Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Food Agency Price Panel recorded that the price of premium rice rose to Rp16,270 per kilogram and the price of medium rice rose to Rp14,230 per kilogram.

"The massive social assistance clashes ahead of the last vote to 21.35 million families have not been able to stabilize prices," said Cak Imin in his statement, Friday, February 23.

Deputy Speaker Of The House Of Representatives

this reminded the government to be careful in handling the scarcity of rice. This is because the demand for rice will certainly increase ahead of the arrival of the month of Ramadan until Eid al-Fitr.

"The government really has to take the supply and price of rice in the market seriously because in the future the need is increasing along with the presence of the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Do not let the price of rice get out of control so that it further burdens the spending of our society," said Cak Imin.

The general chairman of the PKB DPP emphasized that the scarcity and high price of rice will heat up the social-political situation if it is not managed properly.

"This rice is a matter of the stomach, if it is not handled carefully and carefully, the community can get dark eyes. Especially if the government's response is light, by giving a promise of scarcity and the high price of rice can only be handled for two or three weeks," he said.

According to him, various obstacles to providing rice supply are anticipated with a food security strategy, namely making farmers the main subject of the creation of national food security.

"Farm ownership must be adequate, the supply of superior seeds and fertilizer must be guaranteed, agricultural technology must be used until it must guarantee prices during the main harvest. So don't be like now, a little bit of import, which ends up harming our farmers," concluded Cak Imin.