Muhaimin to support interpellation right on rice import

Manado, NU Online
The deputy speaker of Indonesia’s parliament Muhaimin Iskandar said on Saturday (16/9) that he himself did support the interpellation right proposed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle over the government decision to import 210 thousands tons of rice this year.

“The demand of the PDI-P faction and 27 members of House of Representatives is necessary to follow up in so far as the rice import policy has had such damaging impact on society,” said Muhaimin at a meeting with boards of North Sulawesi’s Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor).

While at a dialog discussing its economic and political impact on last Friday, parliament members were heatedly discussing the government decision (to import rice).

Main speakers in the dialog were chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) National Mandate Party (PAN) faction Zulkifli Hasan, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) faction Mardjono and a member of the Democrats Party faction Maruahal Silalahi as well as Yusuf Faisal of the Nation`s Awakening Party faction.

These factions in the DPR were of different opinion on the plan to import rice. The PDIP faction as an oposition in the DPR rejected the decision to import rice.

"Whatever the reason (to import rice) , the PDIP faction rejects it because data show that the existing rice stocks are still enough for the next several months," chairman of the PDIP faction Tjahjo Kumolo said.

Rice import was unnecessary as several regions would enter grand harvest time, said Tjahjo who wondered whether the policy to import rice would bring welfare to farmers or traders.

Tjahjo said his faction had yet to exercise its right of inquiry and right of interpellation on the plan to import rice as the faction was still observing the possible impacts of the decision to import rice.

PAN faction chairman Zulkifli Hasan said he did not understand the government decision to import 210,000 tons of rice as it would hamper efforts to alleviate poverty among farmers but PAN would not take a stand on whether or not the DPR should use its right of inquiry on the issue.

Zulkifli said he did not understand the government decision because there were data showing there were three million tons of rice with the public.

According to the national economic census, there were 39.05 million poor people. "Sixty-four percent of the poor people live in rural areas and most of them are farmers and farmhands," he said. (rif/ant