Suara.com – Sugarcane farmers from Langkat Regency, Deli Serdang to Binjai, North Sumatra, declared their support for the 2024 Presidential Candidate, Ganjar Pranowo.
The step taken by United Sugar Cane Farmers to Support Ganjar (Petebu) has strengthened the support of North Sumatra residents for Ganjar to become President in 2024.
“We are solid in supporting Ganjar Pranowo to become President of the Republic of Indonesia in 2024-2029,” said Chairman of the Petebu Regional Executive Board (DPW) North Sumatra, Ridwan Husny, written Sunday (28/5/2023).
On this occasion, they also held an inauguration of the expert council, the North Sumatra DPW Board to the Deli Serdang DPD and the Langkat DPD after the declaration.
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“For this declaration is the second. First in 2022, October in Kota Datar, Deli Serdang. (Today) this is the second time a declaration has been made in Langkat,” said Ridwan.
The reading of the declaration of support for Ganjar this time was carried out in the middle of a stretch of sugarcane plantations in Kwala Begumit Village, Stabat District, Langkat Regency.
After reading the declaration led by a sugarcane farmer leader, the participants then flew red and white balloons as a symbol of high hopes for Ganjar.
Ridwan ensured that similar declarations would continue. “We will continue to carry out the declaration in other areas such as the Binjai DPD, Medan City or others according to the DPP’s instructions,” he said.
Because of this, representatives of sugar cane farmers from various regions in North Sumatra were also invited to this activity. They also put their hopes for Ganjar.
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“We sugarcane farmers (hope) will raise our dignity. So, our sugarcane farmers will prosper,” Ridwan said, quoting the hopes of the farmers who were present at the event location.
A similar hope was conveyed by one of the leaders of sugarcane farmers in Sumatra, Syahminan. He is also optimistic that Ganjar can realize their hopes if elected as President in 2024.
“Mr. Ganjar is a person who cares about and understands the suffering of the people. The hope is that Mr. Ganjar will be elected so that the sugarcane farmers can be successful again,” said Syahminan.
Particularly in the Langkat Regency area, farmers complain about the decreasing land for sugarcane plantations. Thus, many farmers have turned into oil palm plantation workers.
Complaints and input from the farmers were also conveyed directly to the General Chairperson of the Central Executive Board (DPP) Petebu Mapanai Lewa at this farmer meeting.
Mapanai said that the volunteers who are members of Petebu are determined to support the government in creating self-sufficiency in sugar when elected as President in the next 2024.
“To be self-sufficient in sugar, of course, starts from how the (sugar) factory is revitalized and added to the existing factories in the sugarcane plantation center bases,” said Mapanai after the event.
He believes the presence of sugar factories will increase national sugar production. Thus, domestic production can meet domestic demand for sugar.
The addition of the sugar factory needs to be followed by the expansion of sugar cane plantations managed by the local community. Thus, it will increase their welfare.
“We really hope for the land because the farmers are very enthusiastic about planting sugar cane but are constrained by the lack of land,” he said, encouraging the management of government-owned land by sugar cane farmers.
After participating in a series of meeting activities for sugar cane farmers, the DPP, DPW and DPD Petebu officials handed over social assistance to residents’ homes around the location.
