Press Statement of President of the Republic of Indonesia After the Opening of the 2023 Local Product Business Matching, at Istora Senayan, Gelora Bung Karno, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, March 15, 2023

Journalist
Sir, regarding the domestic goods usage intensification (P3DN) program, you and Pak Luhut said that there should be a reward and punishment (scheme). How is the mechanism for imposing sanctions and incentives for ministries/ institutions, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Yes, I already said that. The amount of performance-based allowances should be in line with, one of them, the purchase of domestic products. Be it on ministries/institutions, provincial government, regencies, municipalities, state-owned enterprises, or regional-owned enterprises. The punishment? That’s all that has been formulated. The rest will be taken care of by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

Journalist
If the P3DN achievement is 100 percent, how much is the performance-based allowances they can get, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
What?

Journalist
The performance-based allowances?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Please ask Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms for technical questions.

Journalist
Yes, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Any more question?

Journalist
I have one more question, Sir. The price of rice is currently high on the market, making it difficult for Bulog to buy the rice. What are the Government’s anticipatory measures for the national rice reserve?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Once again, balancing price is a difficult task, we want the price of grain for farmers, traders, and consumers is good and reasonable. That’s the tough one. If we want to lower the price of rice, it’s very easy. We can import as much as we can, circulate it in the market, the price will definitely sink. However, we do not do that since we want the price to be balanced.

Nevertheless, if the rice supply is lacking and causing a permanent high price, yes, the imports will definitely be done.

Journalist
If the situation is like now, will there be more imports?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
No. As we can see now, it’s still the big harvest. Logically, the big harvest will increase the supply of rice and the price should go down. But it is not. This is what we will try to find out. If it stays like this, the farmers are happy, but the consumers are not. I guess we want to keep the price on balance.

Journalist
Will you put ban on import, Sir? And how about the KPK’s summoning to Minister of Communication and Informatics Plate regarding corruption allegations?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
One question at a time, please.

Journalist
Your commentary on the KPK’s summoning to Minister of Communication and Informatics, Mr. Plate, regarding corruption allegations?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
We must respect all legal processes against anyone.

Journalist
How about the ban on used clothing import, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
I have ordered to do a thorough inspection and in a day or two, we have found many of it. Such imports disrupt the domestic textile industry, its alarming.

Journalist
Prohibit and sanction policy, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
So, the import of used clothing must be stopped.

Journalist
How about the sanctions, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Such imports disrupts our domestic industry.

(GWH/LW)