Mentan Naik Sisingaan di Pandeglang Awali Musim Tanam Oktober - Maret
Indonesian Minister was Greeted with Typical Attractions of Banten Province
Editor : M. Achsan Atjo
Translator : Dhelia Gani
MENTERI Pertanian RI Andi Amran Sulaiman tampaknya tidak menyangka bakal diarak di atas sisingaan oleh warga Kabupaten Pandeglang, yang menyambut kunjungan kerjanya di Desa Sukadame, Kecamatan Pagelaran pada Senin (17.10) untuk mencanangkan musim tanam Oktober 2016 - Maret 2017.
Mentan terlihat santai berada di atas sisingaan, yang ditandu oleh empat pemuda dari kantor kelurahan menuju tempat acara yang berjarak 100 meter, iringan musik khas Sunda membuat atraksi langka tersebut disambut meriah oleh warga setempat dan para undangan yang hadir.
"Saya ucapkan terima kasih pada seluruh petani Banten, produksi padi meningkat dalam dua tahun menjadi sembilan ton, sementara angka ramalan tujuh juta ton, itu kerja keras kita semua. Kami dari kementerian hanya bagian kecil, petani dan rakyatlah yang paling banyak berperan," kata Mentan yang hadir di Banten didampingi Direktur Serelia Ditjen Tanaman Pangan, Nandang Sunandar; dan Kepala Biro Humas dan Informasi Publik, Agung Hendriadi.
Tampak hadir Gubernur Banten Rano Karno; Bupati Pandeglang, Irna Narulita; Wakil Kapolda Banten, Kombes Liliek Heri Setiadi; Kepala Staf Komando Resort Militer 064/Maulana Yusuf, Letkol Inf Athobari; dan Kepala Dinas Pertanian Provinsi Banten, Agus Tauhid.
Singapura dan Banten
Menteri Andi Amran pun menceritakan pengalamannya mengikuti pertemuan menteri pertanian anggota ASEAN di Singapura, belum lama ini, dan dia berharap rakyat Indonesia dapat memetik hikmah dari kerja keras mendiang Lee Kuan Yew, perdana menteri pertama Singapura yang membangun negerinya setelah berpisah dari Malaysia dan menjadi sebuah republik pada 9 Agustus 1965.
"Mendiang Lee Kuan Yew menangis karena sadar Singapura tidak punya sumber daya alam seperti halnya Indonesia dan Malaysia. Dia lalu mengundang rakyatnya berkumpul dan berpidato meniru semangat Bung Karno. Dia bilang, kalau kita bekerja hanya delapan jam sehari maka Singapura akan tergilas oleh negara lain," kata Mentan.
Dia pun membandingkan Singapura dan Provinsi Banten, dengan menghitung luas Singapura hanya 716 km2 sementara Banten mencapai 9.160 km2 atau lebih 10 kali lipat dari luas negara kota tersebut, sedangkan jumlah penduduk Banten saat ini lebih 10 juta jiwa atau dua kali lipat dari Singapura.
"Apa kendala Banten untuk maju seperti Singapura? Manusia. Masih banyak warga yang malas bekerja keras untuk membangun daerahnya. Ayo mulai sekarang kita bekerja keras, mari kita mulai dengan meningkatkan produksi pangan kemudian kita benahi yang lain sehingga Indonesia maju seperti yang dicita-citakan oleh Bung Karno dan saat ini terus didorong oleh Presiden Joko Widodo dengan seruan kerja... kerja.. kerja...," kata Amran Sulaiman.
Bupati Irna Narulita
Kehadiran Mentan Amran Sulaiman diapresiasi oleh petani dan insan pertanian di Kabupaten Pandeglang, Gubernur Rano Karno menyatakan bahwa kunjungan tersebut menjadi bukti bahwa Pandeglang dan Banten sangat penting bagi Kementerian Pertanian, "pak menteri bisa saja membatalkan kunjungan kerjanya hari ini karena harus menghadiri rapat penting di Jakarta."
"Ini hari istimewa bagi bagi petani dan warga Pandeglang atas kedatangan pak menteri yang dikenal sebagai sahabat petani dan pekerja keras, saya juga sudah lihat komitmen Mentan mencapai swasembada pangan melalui YouTube," kata Bupati Pandeglang, Irna Narulita.
Bupati Irna Narulita yang mengaku sudah mengenal baik Mentan sejak menjadi wakil rakyat di Komisi IV DPR tampak tidak canggung dan sesekali mengeluarkan kosakata khas Pandeglang, untuk meminta dukungan pemerintah pusat agar pertanian di kabupatennya semakin maju dan cita-cita Pandelang sebagai lumbungan pangan nasional segera terwujud.
"Saya kini menjadi bupati di sini maka Mentan juga harus tanggung jawab mendukung pembangunan pertanian Pandeglang," kata Irna.
Mentan pun menanggapi komentar mantan koleganya di Komisi IV DPR bahwa Bupati Irna tetap menjadi ´singa podium´ meski telah memimpin Pandeglang.
"Saya fikir setelah jadi bupati tidak ganas lagi, ternyata lebih galak. Bupati seperti bu Irna yang dibutuhkan negeri ini untuk maju seperti negara lain," kata Mentan.
INDONESIAN Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran Sulaiman seems not expected to be shouldered by the typical attractions of Banten Province, local known as the sisingaan, who welcomed his working visit in the Sukadame village of Pagelaran District on Monday (October 17) to announce the paddy planting season in October 2016 to March 2017.
Minister Sulaiman looks relaxed are above the sisingaan wich was shouldered by by four young men from the village office to the venue within 100 meters, Sundanese traditional music accompanies a rare attraction which was greeted by local residents and the invitees.
"I say thank you to all the farmers in Banten, rice production increased in two years to nine tons, while the forecast figures of seven million tonnes, that our hard work. We are of the ministry is only a small part, farmers and people who have been working hard," Mr Sulaiman said who was accompanied by his senior officials, the Director of Cereal Crops, Nandang Sunandar and Head of Public Relations and Public Information, Agung Hendriadi.
It was attended by Governor Rano Karno; Pandeglang Regent Irna Nurulita could only smile in response to criticism of Minister Sulaiman. It was attended by Banten Police Deputy, Senior Commissioner Liliek Hari Setiadi; Siliwangi´s Banten Resort Military Commander, Lt. Col. Athobari and the Head of Banten Provincial Agriculture Office, Agus Tauhid.
Singapore and Banten
Mr Sulaiman tells his experiences while attended the ASEAN agriculture ministers meeting in Singapura, recently, and he hopes the Indonesian people take a lesson from hard work of the late Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore that built his country after being expelled from Malaysia and became a republic on August 9, 1965.
"The late Lee Kuan Yew was crying because he realized Singapore has no natural resources like Indonesia and Malaysia. He then invited people get together and speeches imitate the spirit of Bung Karno. He says if we work only eight hours a day, Singapore will be crushed by other countries," he said.
He also compares Singapore and Banten, by comparing the size of Singapore only 716 km2, while Banten reached 9,160 km2 or 10-fold larger than the city-state, while the population of Banten is currently over 10 million people, or twice that of Singapore.
"What obstacles Banten to become a developed country like Singapore? Man. There are still many people who are lazy to work to build respective regions. Let´s start right now we are working hard, let´s start by increasing food production and then we need to fix the others, so Indonesia advanced like aspired by Bung Karno and today continue to be driven by President Joko Widodo to exclamation work ... work ... work ..," Minister Sulaiman said.
Regent Irna Narulita
Attendance of Minister Sulaiman was appreciated by farmers and stakeholders in Pandeglang District, Governor Rano Karno stated that his visit will be proof that Pandeglang and Banten Province is very important for the agriculture ministry, "the minister may cancel his official visit today because he had to attend the important meeting in Jakarta."
"It´s a special day for the farmers and Pandeglang residents for the visit of minister, known as the friend of farmers and the hard worker, I also have seen the commitment of achieving self-sufficiency through the YouTube," Pandeglang Regent, Irna Narulita said.
Regent Narulita who admitted to knowing Minister Sulaiman since become members of parliament in Commission IV delivered a speech with the typical vocabulary of Pandeglang, who asked the central government to support agriculture in the district has advanced, and ideals of Pandelang into food barn of Indonesia can be realized.
"I am now a regent, the minister is also a responsibility to support agricultural development in Pandeglang," Mrs Narulita said.
Mr Sulaiman respond to comments his former colleagues in the House that the Regent Narulita remain critical although she has become the Pandeglang regent.
"I think after became the district head no longer critical, was more critical. Regent like she is needed Indonesia became developed country like Singapore," he said.
