Acting Governor Of South Sulawesi Asks Regional Heads To Seriously Handle Inflation

The National Coordination Meeting of the South Sulawesi Provincial Government together with the Ministry of Home Affairs related to virtual inflation control at the South Sulawesi Governor's Office, Monday (11/09/2023). ANTARA/HO-Humas South Sulawesi Provincial Government

Acting Governor of South Sulawesi Bahtiar Bahharuddin asked regional heads in 24 districts/cities to seriously deal with inflation after attending the National Coordination Meeting of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) led by the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, virtually from Makassar.

Bahtiar appealed to regional heads to go directly to the market to check the development of basic necessities, and seriously take inflation into account.

"We have to encourage people to take advantage of their yard to plant inflation-triggering commodities, such as cayenne pepper," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 11.

During the meeting, Bahtiar revealed that there were five things that local governments needed to do to deal with inflation. Among other things, increasing low-cost market activities, optimizing APBD spending, mitigating supply stabilization and food prices in their respective regions, starting to carry out low-cost food movements, and strengthening local government food reserves.

Bahtiar Baharuddin said that inflation control in South Sulawesi is one of the best in Indonesia. This is inseparable from the performance of all regional heads, Forkopimda ranks, and other related parties.

He explained, during the second quarter of 2023, the South Sulawesi economy was able to create an added value of IDR 165.05 trillion. South Sulawesi's inflation in August 2023 was 3.53 percent, while national inflation was 3.27 percent.

"The highest deflation is in Palopo City -0.23 percent, and the lowest deflation is in Bulukumba Regency -0.04 percent," said Bahtiar.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian in his direction said that national inflation was quite under control. In August 2023, inflation was recorded at 3.27 percent.

"We can balance the inflation with the food movement, strengthen the government's rice stock reserves. We can intervene, so that the increase in rice prices does not burden the community," said Tito Karnavian.

Tito Karnavian also requested that regional heads together with the PKK Mobilization Team carry out a massive Food Boros Stop campaign. Moreover, Indonesia is the second country in a world that is wasteful of food.

In addition, an explanation from Bulog, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Trade, the National Police's Food Task Force, the TNI, and a number of other food related parties was also conveyed.