Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi stated that the Malaysian government has requested assistance from Indonesia to help secure its food supply, specifically by asking for rice exports. He conveyed this information after attending the Red and White Cabinet Retreat at Padepokan Garuda Yaksa in Hambalang, West Java, as reported on Wednesday (January 7, 2026).

Prasetyo did not disclose the volume of rice requested by Malaysia nor did he definitively confirm Indonesia’s capacity to fulfill the request. He emphasized that any assistance would only be possible if domestic supplies were deemed sufficient.

He explained that if friendly nations require support and Indonesia has the capability to provide it, the government would be willing to offer assistance, citing Malaysia as an example.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman had also confirmed that Malaysia had formally requested rice from Indonesia. This was revealed in an official statement following a meeting between Minister Amran and Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Seri Mohammad Bin Sabu, held at the Ministry of Agriculture in Jakarta on Tuesday (April 22, 2025).

In response to the request, Minister Amran stressed that the Indonesian government remains focused on safeguarding national food security by ensuring adequate domestic rice stocks.

He stated that while Malaysia has submitted a request, Indonesia must first maintain the availability and safety of its domestic reserves. Only after national food security objectives are fully met would further assistance to partner countries be considered.