Anies Spokesperson Suddenly Criticizes Jokowi’s Important Project, What’s Up? News – 3 hours ago

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – President Joko Widodo’s important project, Food Estate, is again being criticized. After being criticized by PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto and Vice Presidential Candidate Muhaimin Iskandar, now criticism comes from the spokesperson for Bacapres Anies Baswedan, Surya Tjandra.

Surya said that the Food Estate project was to clear forests into agricultural land. However, he questioned where the wood from logging was going.

“Everything from the forest that has a food estate is taken from the forest. The forest is removed and then leveled and can be planted at that time. The problem is where does the wood go? Because there was wood before. Well, the Food Estate doesn’t, so the wood is gone too,” said Surya. in his presentation at the CSIS Indonesia discussion, Jakarta, Thursday (2/11/2023).

Quoting CNN Indonesia, Surya said this must be communicated to the public so that it is clear. “How to explain that. I think these things are important,” he added.

Then another criticism for Food Estate is why cassava is planted the most. Even though the most important commodity is rice. The Food Estate should increase rice production.

Photo: Aerial photo of Central Kalimantan food estate. (Doc: Ministry of Agriculture Public Relations) Aerial photo of Central Kalimantan food estate. (Doc: Ministry of Agriculture Public Relations)

“It’s true that the cassava is as big as a thigh but it tastes bitter so you can’t eat it straight away. Why not Food Estate rice like that for example, why don’t you think about that,” he said.

In the same place, Prabowo’s spokesperson Subianto Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated that cassava planting was carried out as a strategic logistics reserve when facing food crisis conditions.

“The language used at the Ministry of Defense is strategic logistics reserves. The focus is on cassava,” he said.

He also emphasized that the Food Estate program is still running, not failed.

“If later in the program there is something that hasn’t been completed yet, that doesn’t mean it’s failed, but it’s still in process. In fact, it’s only been worked on for a year,” he said.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(wur/wur)