Khofifah Praises Integration of Wet Market and Culinary Hub in Malang's Klojen Market

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa stressed the importance of strengthening inter-regional and inter-institutional coordination to maintain price stability and availability of staple goods. Accompanied by Malang Mayor Wahyu Hidayat, Khofifah visited various vendor stalls, from groceries, vegetables, chicken, to beef. She engaged directly with traders and buyers to gain a real-time understanding of staple goods prices and availability on the ground. Klojen Market was among the monitored sites as it is part of the East Java Provincial Government’s Siskaperbapo (Staple Goods Availability and Price Development Information System) reference market. ‘Direct monitoring like this is crucial to maintaining price stability and ensuring the availability of the public’s essential needs,’ Governor Khofifah stated on Saturday (30 May 2026). She made the remarks during a visit to Klojen Market in Malang on Friday (29 May) to inspect market conditions and staple goods supply. After touring the market, Khofifah praised Klojen Market’s management for successfully integrating traditional wet market and culinary hubs into a well-organised and clean area. She noted that the concept allows Klojen Market to function not only as a trading hub but also as an attraction for traditional culinary tourism. During the visit, Khofifah also highlighted the availability of medium-grade SPHP rice and Minyakita cooking oil. She called for intensified coordination between East Java’s Industry and Trade Department, Malang City Government, and Perum Bulog to ensure optimal distribution of these commodities. ‘Most of Malang’s residents prefer premium rice, but we must ensure medium-grade rice is available. We have ample stock of SPHP medium rice in East Java,’ Khofifah said. She stressed that SPHP rice and Minyakita distribution must reach all societal layers to maintain access to essential goods. ‘This finding requires serious attention to restore affordable and controlled prices for the public. I checked, and there’s a significant difference between the official maximum retail price for Minyakita and what some grocery stores are selling it for,’ she added. Besides ensuring staple supplies, Khofifah also highlighted rising prices of certain commodities that could drive inflation, particularly shallots and bird’s eye chilies. Monitoring showed shallot prices rising from Rp35,000-45,000 per kg to Rp55,000-60,000 per kg. Bird’s eye chilli prices at Klojen Market reached Rp100,000-120,000 per kg, though other Malang markets still had prices around Rp80,000 per kg. ‘This is where inter-regional coordination is vital. Identifying price factors that could lead to inflation allows for early mitigative and anticipatory measures,’ Khofifah explained. Amid rising prices of some commodities, Khofifah noted egg prices remain normal and even decreasing. Beef prices are relatively stable ahead of Eid al-Adha, unlike the usual trends before Ramadan or after Eid al-Fitr. Through these monitoring efforts, the East Java Provincial Government reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public purchasing power via price control and staple goods availability. Khofifah acknowledged product quality differences affecting market price variations. However, overall price stability must be maintained to keep inflation in check. ‘How to maintain public purchasing power while ensuring affordable and controlled access to staple goods,’ she stressed. Beyond staple goods prices and supply, Khofifah specifically praised Klojen Market’s management as a model of modern public market innovation. The integration of wet market, staple goods hub, and traditional culinary centre makes the market popular with locals and attracts tourists from outside the region. ‘This could serve as a reference for other regents and mayors’ innovation efforts. I think it’s remarkable,’ she concluded.