President Orders Lowering Food Prices Ahead Of Ramadan 2025, Must Be Cheaper Than Malaysia

President Prabowo Subianto held a meeting as well as lunch with a number of ministers at the Jakarta Palace, Monday 17 February 2025. ( Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto ordered his ranks of ministers to lower food prices and a number of commodities ahead of the month of Ramadan which is expected to fall in early March 2025.

The order was conveyed by the head of state during a joint lunch with a number of ministers at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Friday, February 21.

The President asked that the prices of these basic necessities should be cheaper than last year's Ramadan, and for some commodities the price must be cheaper than the price in Malaysia.

"The President wants to bring down the price (to lower the price, ed.), it must be cheaper than (Ramadhan) last year, and several items must be cheaper than Malaysia," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono when met after the lunch at the Palace.

Therefore, Sudaryono said that the Ministry of Agriculture on Monday, February 24, will hold market operations at 500 points in various regions in Indonesia.

The target is that the points targeted for market operations will increase to 4,000 at the beginning of fasting, Sudaryono added.

"We can operate the rice market, cooking oil, sugar, shallots, garlic, then basic necessities, including meat, frozen meat," said Deputy Minister Sudaryono.

The Deputy Minister is optimistic that his ministry will be able to fulfill the President's order to lower the prices of basic necessities ahead of Ramadan.

"Yes, we have to, we make sure it is carried out. Like it or not, it must be a profit. The entrepreneur can make a profit, but fortunately, don't keep going, then the people who are harmed. That's the point," said Sudaryono.

Apart from Wamenan, several other ministers and officials also participated in a lunch with the President this afternoon. The officials who had lunch with the President today were Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, Minister of Housing Maruarar Sirait, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of BKPM Rosan P. Roeslani.

Then, there are also Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Angga Raka Prabowo, Deputy Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Deputy Minister of SOEs Dony Oskaria, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, National Police Chief General Pol. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Head of BIN M Herindra, Head of the Special Development and Investigation Control Agency Aris Marsudiyanto, and President Director of PT Pindad Sigit P. Santosa.