Explaining Megawati's Sayings About Steaming And Boiling Amid The Expensive Cooking Oil, PDIP: Not Forbidding But Familiarizing The Principle Of Self-reliance

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JAKARTA - PDI-P politician, Hendrawan Supratikno, spoke about the statement of the general chairman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was surprised to see women lining up for cooking oil.

He said Megawati's statement did not mean blaming or forbidding women from processing food by frying amidst the high price of cooking oil.

According to him, what was conveyed by the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia was so that people would get used to the principle of standing on their own feet or being independent. Including when managing food.

"So even in ways to process food, we have to start getting used to the principle of independence from simple things, such as by boiling, steaming or other methods," said Hendrawan to VOI, Saturday, March 19.

This independence, continued Hendrawan, is important to do in order to reduce dependence on external shocks. Moreover, currently the price of cooking oil is soaring because the price of crude palm oil (CPO) has risen sharply.

This is what makes CPO producers prefer to export rather than comply with the domestic market obligation (DMO) and domestic price obligation (DPO). This condition then made Megawati, said Hendrawan, to ask the community to be independent in how to manage food.

"Of course it's not meant to prohibit people from frying food. So don't twist or twist it," he said.

"Mrs. Mega has an obsession for Indonesia to develop and have sovereignty in matters of food, energy, health, finance, research and technology," he added.

As previously reported, Megawati admitted that she was surprised why there were still women who chose to queue for cooking oil. Even though there are various alternative ways to cook in the midst of scarcity and rising prices that have occurred recently.

"Now, let's see, the fuss is about buying cooking oil. I can just rub my chest, it's not a matter of not having cooking oil or how expensive it is," said Megawati in a stunting-related webinar broadcast on YouTube, Thursday, March 17.

"It made me think, so every day the mothers only fry? Until it's so scrambled, is there no way to boil, then steam or like rujak?" he asked.

He said that this way of cooking can actually be used in various Indonesian menus, which can be used as a reference.

"Isn't there (another way of cooking, ed)? It's an Indonesian menu, you know. Why is it complicated (difficult, ed)," said Megawati.