JAKARTA, kiprahkita.net -- Referring to several sources, Chairman of the Central Executive Board (PP) of Muhammadiyah Dr. Agung Danarto, stated that the poverty rate in Indonesia remains stagnant at around 9 percent.
Despite the various efforts made by the government to reduce the poverty rate, it has proven difficult to bring the number below 9 percent of Indonesia's 275.5 million population.
Analyzing the current distribution of poverty in Indonesia, there appears to be no significant disparity between the urban and rural poor.
"The poor are, of course, the primary targets of Muhammadiyah's mission, inspired by the spirit of Al Ma’un," Agung said on Friday (12/7) at the opening of the first National SEKAM event at UMJ.
The spirit of Al Ma’un, as taught by Kiai Ahmad Dahlan, has a powerful impact against the oppression faced by the people and the nation. This relevance not only applies to the past but also remains pertinent today.
Addressing the issue of poverty, Agung emphasized that it cannot be oversimplified. He pointed out that poverty is not only caused by structural factors but also by other major issues, including the influence of structural elements.
"For instance, in the case of farmers, there are rice mafias who control the rice market. During harvest seasons, what happens is massive imports from abroad," he explained.
Agung also questioned why, whenever Indonesian farmers experience a harvest boom, the prices of agricultural products plummet. However, when agricultural product prices rise, the prosperity that farmers should experience remains out of reach.
On this occasion, Agung also highlighted the risks of becoming an empowerment cadre. According to him, if empowerment is pursued seriously, complex problems will arise, even involving confrontations with mafias.
Agung stressed that empowerment movements do not need to be overly complicated. "There’s no point in having too many activities with minimal results. Therefore, it is better to focus on a few impactful initiatives that can deliver significant benefits," he urged.(muhammadiyah.or.id)
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