TEMPO.CO, Makassar – Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo has signed a memorandum of understanding with his South Sulawesi counterpart Syahrul Yassin Limpo on Jakarta’s purchasing food commodities from the latter’s province, which includes rice, beef and fish. The signing took place at Container Terminal in Makassar.

The Jakarta governor said Jakarta’s demand for rice currently stood at 2,700 tons per day and 150 tons per day for beef. Jokowi said he feared he would have to import rice to meet Jakarta’s demand for rice should he not buy it from South Sulawesi.

“I don’t want to be surpassed by imports. It’s better if we supply it from South Sulawesi. I give the thumbs up on the immediate delivery of the rice upon the signing of the MoU. I hope this will become a good beginning. If we want to have a sister city, it’s better if we build the relationship between cities or regencies as opposed to those of other countries,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential contender said.

South Sulawesi Regional Secretary Abdul Latif said the Jakarta administration would purchase rice, fish and meat from South Sulawesi. He said the South Sulawesi government would deliver seven containers comprising 168 tons of rice worth Rp1.3 billion, which would be supplied by PT Pelita Agro Mustika Karya. “And 72 tons of fish worth Rp400 million from PT Rahayu, plus beef,” he said.

South Sulawesi Governor Yassin Limpo said his province had 2.6 tons of rice and 52,000 tons of tuna fish in surplus. He added the Jakarta administration still owed some money to his province from the purchase, but asserted he would not make an issue out of it.

“If Jokowi does not have the money yet, we will lend it. It’s OK to owe some money for the sake of the nation, as long as it is not corruption,” he said.

ANANDA TERESIA