JAKARTA - The statement of the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputeri, who questioned whether women in Indonesia only know how to cook by frying, has gone viral.
At first, the PDI-P general chairman was surprised to see women scrambling while waiting in line to buy cooking oil in the midst of a shortage. Megawati then advised the public to change their cooking pattern from frying to steaming or boiling.
"It's unbelievable, it's not a matter of not having or how expensive cooking oil is. It made me think, so are women just frying every day? To the point they should fight for it?" said Megawati in the webinar 'Preventing Stunting for the Golden Generation', Thursday, March 17.
Megawati's remarks criticizing the activities of mothers who lined up long to get cheap cooking oil drew various responses. There are those who think that Megawati lacks empathy, but there are also those who support her for various reasons, one of which is for health.
Responding to criticism of Megawati, PDI-P politician Hendrawan Supratikno wanted the public not to twist or misrepresent her viral statement.
He said that Megawati's statement did not mean blaming or forbidding women from processing food by frying amidst the high price of cooking oil.
But, he said what Megawati meant was so that people could get used to the principle of standing on their own feet or being independent, including when managing food that doesn't just depend on frying.
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"So, even in ways to process food, we have to start getting used to the principle of being independent from simple things, such as boiling, steaming, or other methods," explained Hendrawan, Sunday, March 20.
Not fully criticised, Megawati's suggestion has even received support from opposition political parties. Megawati's suggestion was also supported by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).
Megawati's advice is supported, for the sake of health and eradicating the Mafia
Mulyanto, deputy chairman of the PKS faction in the DPR, saw nothing wrong with Megawati's suggestion. According to him, saving the use of cooking oil is indeed important.
"In addition to suppressing the consumption of cooking oil nationally, it is also primarily related to family health. Reducing fried food consumption is highly recommended by doctors, especially for the elderly," said Mulyanto to reporters, Sunday, March 20.
The movement to reduce consumption of cooking oil, he continued, can be well received and welcomed. Even so, the movement to save cooking oil does not necessarily invalidate the government's obligation to ensure the availability of cooking oil supplies at affordable prices.
Therefore, the PKS faction continues to urge the government to provide oil at an affordable price for the people.
"The presence of the state in managing migrants as basic necessities of the community is mandatory. The state cannot be from the migrant mafia," he said.
In line with PKS, MUI Deputy Chairman Anwar Abbas actually considered the input of the number one person in the PDI-P to be positive.
According to him, implementing Megawati's suggestion will teach the entire cooking oil mafia a lesson. Buya Anwar said, the cooking oil mafia will lose money if the whole community prefers to steam and boil their food.
Plus, frying using cooking oil will actually cause many diseases.
The Muhammadiyah cleric from West Sumatra believes that if Mega's suggestion is implemented it will encourage the mafia to release the stock that has been stockpiled.
"That way, economic life, especially those related to cooking oil, will certainly return to normal," said Anwar Abbas, Sunday, March 20.
Anwar Abbas believes that if the public is able to boycott cooking oil, it will open up new opportunities for better people's life.
"If we look at this situation from a political perspective, it will certainly be able to create a good stability in people's lives because they can return to live in peace," he added.
He also suggested that mothers and mothers unite to eradicate the cooking oil mafia by no longer using cooking oil for cooking activities.
"So the conclusion is that if the women or mothers in this country can unite, the cooking oil mafia and/or other mafias will certainly be able to bend their knees in the face of the power they (mothers) have," she said.
"So it is true what wise people say that women or mothers are the pillars of the country, because they will be able to determine the pattern and color of the life and journey of a nation," said Anwar Abbas.
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