Residents of Tempuling Subdistrict, Indragiri Hilir Regency, through an alliance of children of coconut farmers, came to the Regional Representative Council office to ask for an explanation regarding the construction of a coconut plantation rescue embankment which will be carried out in 2020.
The arrival of the community was welcomed by Commission II of the Indragiri Hilir Regional People’s Representative Council and the Indragiri Hilir Plantation Service by holding a hearing meeting.
The spokesperson for the Alliance for the sons and daughters of coconut farmer children in Tempuling District, Rusdiansyah, firmly questioned the embankment construction plan, which has yet to be started.
“It’s already 8 months and no embankment has yet been built, we came here to know whether it can be implemented or not, if not what is the problem so we can explain to the community,” asked Rusdiansyah.
He also asked how much budget the government has allocated for the construction of the embankment this year.
“From the community, we ask the government, especially the regent, who always carries the name Indragiri Hilir as the expanse of world coconut, please pay attention. Don’t just talk about coconut, but where is your attention,” he said.
Responding to this, the Head of the Indragiri Hilir Plantation Service, Sirajuddin explained that the construction of the embankment to save community gardens would still be carried out but only part of the original plan, given the reduction in funds that had been made.
“We are very aware of the community’s need for plantations in Indragiri Hilir, and we know how the current condition of the farmers’ gardens, but we cannot do much because reducing these funds is a government policy, “explained Sirajuddin.
Furthermore, Sirajuddin stated that the budget for the construction of mechanical embankments this year is Rp. 1.5 billion, and will be implemented when the translation is complete.
Meanwhile, the head of commission II of the Indragiri Hilir Regional People’s Representative Council, Junaidi, plans to change the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget later, if there is a budget that is not too important at the Plantation office, it will be diverted for the construction of the embankment.
“We do not agree with this budget cut, because this is very much needed by the farmers. We will recalculate with the Plantation Service how to increase the budget for the construction of this embankment,” he said.
