Economic Equality, DPR Members Propose City People To Be Sent To The Village

Illustration (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the Indonesian Parliament Marwan Jafar, proposed the Ruralization program or population movement from urban to rural areas for economic equality.

According to him, this Ruralization Program is an effort to move back to the village while at the same time mobilizing productive potential in the countryside.

"Ruralization is the opposite of urbanization, namely the movement of people from the city who have been working and earning a living in the city to return to their villages," said Marwan in his statement in Jakarta, Friday, March 19.

The former Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration said that the Ruralization program could be a mainstay in improving and contributing to strengthening the foundations of the real sector economy.

Because he said, many productive sub-sectors in livestock, plantations, fisheries and agriculture can be worked directly. Especially by micro, small and medium enterprises and cooperatives.

"Quite a few villages have become production centers or have superior products, such as pineapple, mangosteen, durian, tuna, porang tubers, batik, swallow's nest, and export-oriented herbal and medicinal plants," said Marwan.

Marwan said, a number of small and medium industry and trade sub-sectors have the potential to be encouraged in rural areas. So, cooperation can be carried out or in a mutually beneficial partnership pattern with the closest BUMD, BUMN, private sector. As well as cooperating with local or national investors before inviting global investors.

"What needs to be emphasized is not only the upstream side, but also the downstream side, such as processing, packaging, price stabilization, and marketing using a touch of digital technology," said the PKB politician.

Marwan said that assistants and extension workers in 12 ministries can work together to strengthen human resources in rural areas so that they are more skilled in maximizing the superior potential of the village. Considering the number of villages in Indonesia which reaches 74,953 villages, the number of assistants is still insufficient.

"However, if it maximizes the role of volunteers from professional circles, such as universities, research institutions, and the private sector, he believes the Ruralization program will reap significant results," said Marwan.