We have to stop food imports because we can bring prosperity to the farmers."Palu, Central Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) has expressed support for the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa presidential and vice presidential candidate pair in the upcoming presidential election on July 9, 2014.
"The leadership of the National Council, Regional Council, and all executive boards of HKTI fully support the Prabowo-Hatta pair to lead Indonesia," Chairman of the HKTI Advisory Council (DPN HKTI) Jafar Hafsah stated while reading the organizations statement of support here on Friday.
Jafar remarked that the statement constituted an affirmation of the HKTIs support for Prabowo, which it had agreed in a national leadership meeting in 2013.
He added that Prabowo has shown his commitment and consistency in developing the agricultural sector.
"Prabowo has showed his commitment, consistency, and care for the farmers in the agricultural field through various trainings at home and abroad," Jafar claimed.
The DPN HKTI chairman explained that the vision and mission of the Prabowo-Hatta duo was similar to that of the HKTI, which was to create food sovereignty and prosperity of farmers.
The DPN HKTI has called on HKTI executives at all levels to take strategic steps in an effort to bring victory to the Prabowo-Hatta presidential and vice presidential pair.
Secretary General of the National Leadership Council (DPN) of HKTI Fadli Zon remarked that agriculture-related problems so far were known to many people, but they were never solved.
In order to overcome the problems, a strong leadership is needed to create dependence in the agricultural field, he reiterated.
Prabowo has stated his commitment to prioritizing the agricultural sector if elected president, Fadli Zon stated, adding that it showed Prabowos support for the farmers and the agricultural sector.
Courage is needed to implement the programs, such as intensification and extensification of programs.
Through strategic steps, production can become abundant, and Indonesia will not have to import food products.
"We have to stop food imports because we can bring prosperity to the farmers. We need food sovereignty," Fadli Zone added.
Indonesia will be organizing a free and democratic presidential election on July 9, 2014, which will be contested by only two pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla.
Prabowo Subianto is a retired military general and the chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Jokowi is Jakartas governor and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), while his running mate, Jusuf Kalla (JK), is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.
The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), and the Golkar Party, whose current chairman is Aburizal Bakrie, the owner of TV One.
The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: PDIP, the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democrats Party (Nasdem) established by Surya Paloh, the owner of Metro TV and the Media Indonesia newspaper.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
