Jakarta, Feb. 15 -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that rice assistance provided by the government to the community aims to help control the price of rice in the market.

"(This increase in rice prices) has nothing to do with rice aid because this (rice assistance) actually controls (the price), since the supply is through social assistance provided to the community," Jokowi stated after observing rice stocks at the Cipinang Main Market here on Thursday.

The president said that the government's rice assistance could meet the community needs, so this could help to control the increase in rice prices.

"This is actually to restrain price increases, (and) if it is not (controlled), (the price) will actually jump. This is t...