TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The opposition Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, or AHY, criticized a number of policies and regulations passed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, including the food barn program alias food estate and the Government in Lieu of Law or Perpu on Job Creation. The son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY considered them hasty policies that were issued without proper planning.

“How's the food estate program?” said AHY in his political speech at the Tennis Indoor Senayan, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, March 14.

The government, said AHY, has allocated trillions of rupiah for the large-scale food areas program despite the fact that many agricultural academics and environmental activists denounce it which only relies on land extension.

AHY stated that food sovereignty must instead be oriented towards community empowerment and involvement, and pay attention to aspects of sustainability and local traditions. This concept, he added, is in accordance with the Democratic agricultural sect.

“Sustainable growth with equity. A fair and sustainable economic growth that maintains the balance of nature,” said AHY.

Apart from the food estate program, AHY also slammed the Job Creation Law created by Jokowi and approved by the majority of factions in the House of Representatives (DPR). The Democratic Party, said AHY, rejected the law from the start. Not only because the party heard the screams of the workers, but also because the rule was drafted hastily.

The unemployment rate did not decline but is even getting higher. So AHY argued that it was not surprising that the Constitutional Court decided that this law was unconstitutional. However, instead of involving the public to improve this law, the President responded by issuing a Perpu.

To AHY, the legislative practice shown by Jokowi exhibits poor governance. “This triggers legal uncertainty.”

FAJAR PEBRIANTO

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