Secretary General of the Constitutional Court (MK) M. Guntur Hamzah speaking at a public discussion on Agriculture Day via Zoom, Thursday (25/6) from the 11^th floor of the Constitutional Court building. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Secretary General of the Constitutional Court (MK) M. Guntur Hamzah spoke at a public discussion on Agriculture Day under the theme “Indonesia’s Readiness for Food Security” via Zoom on Thursday (25/6/2020). The event was organized by Raja Grafindo Perkasa via Zoom.

Guntur discussed issues related to food security, sovereignty, and independence. Indonesia has strong food sovereignty but is still weak in food independence and food security, Guntur said from the 11^th floor of the Constitutional Court building.

He believes Indonesia’s food independence and security are weak because policies on food have not been carried out optimally to fulfill the citizens’ constitutional rights as guaranteed by the Constitution. "Our Constitution clearly emphasizes natural resources, especially in the food sector," he said.

Therefore, hard work is needed to fulfill the citizens’ constitutional rights through food policies based on a constitutional democracy. The implementation of food policies must follow to the principles of the Constitution and good agricultural trade system.

Food Resilience amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

Guntur emphasized that the country’s mission to mitigate COVID-19 is not only related to health but also food security. According to him, the state has allocated a sizable budget for it. Every citizen has the right to fulfill their needs, so there is no concern about food sovereignty or security. The state must have strategies for food security, sovereignty, and independence and be able to predict changes both globally and domestically.

"In agriculture and food amidst this pandemic, regulations made by policymakers, for example in this case the Ministry of Agriculture or related ministries, must always prioritize health recovery and economic recovery," he said. The state must be swift in drafting regulations that follow democratic protocols and make policies that are based on the Constitution. (Utami/NRA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti

Translation uploaded on 6/25/2020