"I want to ask: is rice important for the country or not? Does it affect the livelihood of the people or not? Are rice mills important for the country? Are rice mills essential to the people's well-being?" President Prabowo asked during the 2025 Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representative Council (DPD) at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Friday.
He pointed out that despite the strategic importance of rice and rice milling, there are still a few business actors who exploit their financial power to dominate the rice trade, to the detriment of the public.
“There are, though not all, I want to be fair—there are certain businesspeople who use their capital strength to dominate and manipulate people’s lives. And this is something we cannot accept,” Prabowo stated.
The 2025 Annual Session of the MPR, the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD, and the State Address of the President in Commemoration of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Anniversary were held at the Nusantara Building, within the MPR/DPR/DPD complex in Jakarta.
The event was attended by over 600 members of parliament, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, ministers and deputy ministers from the Red and White Cabinet, political leaders, foreign dignitaries, and party officials.
Former presidents and vice presidents also attended the event, including 7th President Joko Widodo, 6th President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, 6th Vice President Try Sutrisno, 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla, 11th Vice President Boediono, and 13th Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.
The joint parliamentary sessions were held in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, under the theme “United and Sovereign, for a Prosperous People and an Advanced Indonesia.”
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Translator: Aji, Azis Kurmala
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
