Jakarta. Vice-presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka called on his rivals to cease employing narrative techniques that spread fear about the government's decision to import food commodities during a debate in Jakarta on Sunday evening.

As part of the food security agenda amid harvest disruptions and declining domestic production, the government plans to import at least 3 million tons of rice this year, mirroring the same quantity imported last year.

While acknowledging the need for evaluation and correction in the decision to import staple foods, Gibran underlined the importance of fostering optimism rather than exacerbating anxiety among the public.

"We must spread optimism among the people. Fearmongering [about food imports] will not help improve the situation,” said Gibran during the debate, sharing the stage with rivals Mohammad Mahfud MD and Muhaimin Iskandar at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Gibran's remarks followed critiques from Mahfud, who highlighted the government's inability to achieve food self-sufficiency, and Muhaimin, who labeled the government's "food estate" program as a complete failure.

Mahfud also presented statistics on significant food imports last year, including soybeans, rice, sugar, milk, and beef. 

Gibran acknowledged failures in some areas but claimed success in others.

He argued that from 2019 to 2022, Indonesia achieved self-sufficiency in food, but the government had to resort to rice imports last year due to El Nino conditions, which disrupted harvests and led to prolonged drought.

“The El Nino conditions had a global impact,” added Gibran.