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Ex-army chief Moeldoko elected chairman of farmers association
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The Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) has elected former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Moeldoko as its new chairman. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
T
he Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) has elected former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Moeldoko, who is also a close aide to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, as its new chairman.
Moeldoko replaced Mahyudin, a Golkar Party politician and the deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Moeldoko said he was committed to designing long and short term strategies for the HKTI and its 60 million members to achieve Indonesia’s vision in becoming a global food supplier.
“I, representing Indonesian farmers, extend gratitude to the government for the agriculture infrastructure it’s building today. We, the HKTI, are truly a strategic partner of the government,” he said in his HKTI inauguration speech, which was attended by Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly.
The HKTI is considered to be one of the most sought after strategic posts by the country's elite politicians. Past chairmen of the association include Gerindra Party chief and former presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Hanura Party chief Oesman Sapta.
(Read also: Farmers association introduces new paddy seeds to jack up productivity)
The government has been working toward agrarian reform, in which it seeks to boost land distribution to residents and open loan access and other assistance to farmers.
The HKTI, funded by donations, has recently invented two paddy seeds named after Moeldoko: M70D and M400. The new seeds have been planted on 1,000 hectares of paddy fields in Java and Kalimantan. (wit)
