Zulkifli Hasan affirms readiness to meet Aceh's food security demands

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has affirmed his willingness to fulfil Aceh’s requests for food security needs, ranging from new rice field printing to irrigation provision. “Unhusked rice, fertiliser, irrigation, new rice fields — whatever Aceh requests, we will serve,” said Zulkifli Hasan after inaugurating the Aceh PAN Regional Leadership Council in Banda Aceh on Saturday. He stressed that the government under President Prabowo Subianto today strongly sides with ordinary people and is continuously striving to improve markets, particularly the food sector. Zulhas also noted that Indonesia has been in the market system for 29 years, and in principle, regarding the food sector, the country does not have to be self-sufficient if it has money and lacks rice — it can simply import. However, according to Zulhas, together with President Prabowo it has been affirmed that Indonesia must be self-sufficient. Because self-sufficiency is sovereignty, and sovereignty is honour. “Food is not just rice for eating. Food concerns 100 million Indonesians. There are farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders,” he said. Zulhas emphasised that under the Constitution and Pancasila, it is regulated that agriculture and animal husbandry are people’s enterprises, not conglomerates. He cited the example that previously there was no such thing as broiler chicken, only free-range chicken. Now, in the free market, he continued, broiler chickens have entered and are controlled by just two companies from Thailand and Malaysia. Then tempeh and tofu are controlled by one company. Bread and noodles are also controlled by one or two companies. “Now this, we want to restructure together with Pak Prabowo. Alhamdulillah, as an example, we want rice self-sufficiency. We side with farmers, the price of unhusked rice is raised so farmers prosper. The main subsidy is larger, price discounts, made easier. Within one year, Indonesian farmers have been extraordinary. And we no longer import rice,” he said. Not only the agricultural sector, Zulhas also stated that all natural wealth in the free market is given to those with money, they control everything, including mining, and quite a lot of licensing is given away freely. Ultimately, he continued, the environment is damaged and the people are poor, while the rich are individuals. Then the state is given and rationed. Even sometimes deceived. According to Zulhas, natural wealth — gold, silver, coal and nickel — should belong to the state and be used to the greatest extent for the prosperity of the Indonesian people, and this is the issue the government wants to rectify. “This is what we want to fix. Brothers and sisters, that is why we are loyal to Pak Prabowo. Indeed, in this very important change now, there is certainly resistance from those who are already comfortable. But if we can get through this, Indonesia will become a just, equal and advanced country,” concluded Zulkifli Hasan.