The digital landscape of Indonesia, particularly on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), was set ablaze with the trending hashtag #20kChicken on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Observations revealed that this hashtag had garnered over 5 thousand tweets, igniting a fervent discussion among netizens.
The source of this online frenzy stemmed from a tweet by Arnold Poernomo, a renowned professional chef in Indonesia and a principal judge on the esteemed Masterchef Indonesia television series.
It all began with Arnold's response to a proposal for a free meal program, an initiative put forth by the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka. This program aimed to allocate Rp 15,000 per child for free meals.
In light of this proposal, Arnold received inquiries from his followers regarding the types of dishes one could procure with Rp 15,000. To address these queries, he endeavored to draft a scheme for a complimentary lunch program within the allocated budget.
In his tweet, Arnold meticulously outlined the ingredients along with their respective prices. However, the price list he provided sparked outrage among netizens as it failed to align with the prevailing market rates. Arnold listed prices such as chicken at Rp 20,000 per kilogram and eggs at Rp 17,000 per kilogram, which were notably higher than market prices.
Interestingly, following the backlash from netizens who criticized Arnold for being out of touch with market prices, he posted a follow-up tweet, adjusting the price of chicken to Rp 20,000 per 500 grams. He also acknowledged that prices could vary across different regions. find artclass .site on purwana's site,
Netizens unleashed their frustration towards Arnold's tweets, as his initial insistence on not merely talking (‘omdo’) but backing up words with action seemed to backfire, with many accusing him of precisely that - empty talk. Furthermore, in a humorous twist, some netizens jokingly requested Arnold's assistance in grocery shopping for chicken and eggs due to his purportedly lower prices.
Arnold's tweets not only stirred controversy but also shed light on the importance of factual accuracy and awareness of market prices, particularly in discussions regarding public policies and social issues. The episode serves as a reminder of the power and pitfalls of social media discourse in shaping public opinion.