Lowokwaru (malangkota.go.id) – As an effort to control inflation and maintain the stability of food commodity prices in Malang City, the Malang City Government (Pemkot) through the Malang City Cooperatives, Industry and Trade Service (Diskopindag) held a cheap market at Merjosari Field, Lowokwaru District, Malang City, Tuesday (20/2/2024).
Acting Mayor of Malang Malang Dr. Ir. Wahyu Hidayat, MM who was present to open the event said that this cheap market is one part of the activities of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) which is carried out to control prices that are currently tending to rise, such as for rice and red chili commodities. "Today we go directly to the community, which is expected to be able to suppress the increase in the price of these food commodities," he said.
Wahyu added, in addition to the price increase, there is currently also unrest in the community related to the stock of food commodities, especially rice which has caused panic buying. The emergence of this phenomenon according to Wahyu has also triggered an increase in the price of rice in the community. In fact, based on data from Bulog Malang City, the stock of rice in Malang City is still available at 6.500 tons which will continue to increase. With this amount, Wahyu said that the supply of rice in Malang City is currently considered safe even until Eid.
"Well, we hope that with this cheap market, people will not panic too much. We are ready with stock, everything is there, we just have to suppress the price. Hopefully, ahead of Ramadan tomorrow, there will be no price spikes that are too high," he added.
Related to major events such as the General Election that was held in the second week of February and approaching the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in March and April, Wahyu assessed that the inflation rate in Malang City is currently quite under control. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Malang City, the YOY inflation rate in Malang City is currently at 2,29% or experiencing deflation of 0,23% from before. This figure is also still below the inflation rate of East Java Province and Nationally.
However, Wahyu emphasized that the Malang City Government through TPID will continue to monitor commodity price movements and inflation rates ahead of these big days. If price increases still occur, then there are several options that the Malang City Government will take to control the rate of inflation, such as by holding a cheap market operation again, as well as the Mbois Ilakes Inflation Suppression Warung which was previously implemented in three markets in Malang City. The Malang City Government also still has an Unexpected Cost (BTT) budget of IDR 9 billion that can be used to control inflation. However, Wahyu emphasized that the use of the BTT budget is the last option if the situation is considered to have entered an emergency stage.
"We will see the situation first. We will create a cheap market first, we will intervene, we will provide subsidies related to transportation. If it is not considered an emergency, I think what is being done now is still quite good, because our inflation is still under control," he explained again.
In this cheap market held in Merjosari, the Malang City Government distributed 9.000 basic food packages intended for RTM (Integrated Households), poor households based on data from the Malang City Social Service (Dinsos). One package worth Rp100.000 contains 5 kg of rice, 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of shallots, 1 kg of garlic and 1 liter of cooking oil.
The community also admitted to being happy with the intervention carried out by the Malang City Government amidst the rising prices of several commodities. One of the beneficiaries of this cheap market operation is Sudasmi, who is a resident of Tulusrejo Village, admitted to being happy with the existence of this cheap market, because the prices in this cheap market are very different from the prices on the market, and this certainly helps her economy.
"Alhamdulillah, it really helps a lot with that price, because now it's not available anywhere. So hopefully if there can be more, because it really helps me," he said. (iu/yon)
