TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo stressed that the cement plant project in Rembang and the mining project in Wadas Village were not part of his programs during his tenure as the Governor of Central Java. However, he claimed that as a governor, the responsibility for these controversial projects was placed on him.

“Both were complicated projects at the time and neither of them was my program,” Ganjar said at a discussion forum dubbed Generasi Perintis held at Pos Bloc, Pasar Baru, Jakarta, on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

Ganjar admitted that the two programs sparked a conflict because of the lack of massive dissemination. “If they were invited [to discuss the programs], they would understand. They would understand that this is part of a long roadmap [of development], and then our approach would be relatively much better.”

He further claimed that stories of environmental conflict were discussed more often than his efforts to reject various mining projects in the Central Java region, causing algorithms of environmental discussion to continue to emerge.

“Do you know that I once rejected a new cement factory proposed around Rembang, Pati, and Grobogan? This surely never be a story. Do you know that I rejected a cement factory in Kebumen? That must not become a story. Do you know that I once rejected a gold mining project in Wonogiri? That was not a story either. The stories [in the public] usually involve conflict,” the PDIP politician said.

Ganjar Pranowo requests Wadas issues to be included in the topic of the upcoming vice presidential debate

Ganjar opined that Wadas issues should be included in the upcoming vice presidential debate to be held by the KPU on January 21, 2024. He also said that his running mate, Mahfud Md, had not made any special preparations to anticipate questions about the mining conflict in Wadas village.

In the fourth election debate, vice presidential candidates Muhaimin Iskandar, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Mahfud Md will share the stage to talk about issues related to sustainable development, natural resources, environment, energy, food, agrarian affairs, indigenous peoples, and villages.

ADIL AL HASAN

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