Rice Cooker Shares Against Many Parties, Minister Of Energy And Mineral Resources: Want To Continue To Import Elpiji?

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources wisely Tasrif (photo: dock. SKK Migas)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif opened his voice about the assumption that various parties are against the program to distribute electrical cooking utensils (AML) in the form of rice cookers.

Arifin explained that this program aims to increase the use of clean energy and suppress LPG imports.

"If you don't try, what do you want to do? If you don't use it, we want to import LPG continuously? Does someone like LPG imports?" Arifin told the media quoted on Tuesday, October 17.

Based on data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, 60 million households in Indonesia still use melon gas to cook rice. Arifin also emphasized that the government's goal of distributing the AML was to reduce the deficit in importing 3 kg LPG.

Arifin did not specifically mention the brand to be distributed to the public, but it is certain that the distribution will begin next November and target 500,000 households. He also said that the process of distributing rice cookers or free electricity-based rice feeders will be carried out per package or stage.

Just so you know, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has issued Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation Number 11 of 2023 concerning the Provision of Electricity-Based Cooking Equipment for Households. As a derivative, Technical Guidelines for the Provision of Electricity-Based Cooking Equipment (AML) have also been also been issued through the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 548.K/TL.04/DJL.3/2023.

The government's idea through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to provide free rice cookers is in the spotlight of some observers. Public policy observer Trubus Rahadiasyah questioned the government's urgency to provide free rice cookers to the public.

According to him, the government has implemented a strange policy. Instead of providing free AML, Trubus assessed that the government should provide a more appropriate subsidy, which the community really needs.

A similar criticism was also made by the Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira. He did not see that the distribution of free rice cookers for the poor and vulnerable to poverty was the answer to two problems raised by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

This is an unreasonable program. The target of this AML distribution is poor households and vulnerable to poverty. The question is what will be cooked using a free rice cooker if the rice is expensive?' Bhima told VOI.