The benefits were in the form of housing finance offered by the old-age insurance program investment funds, director general of industrial relations development and labor social security (PHI-JSK) of the Manpower Ministry, Indah Anggoro Putri, said in a written statement received here on Thursday.
In 2017, the realization of additional service benefits distribution for housing for workers/labor experienced an increase of 658 housing units and the number further rose to 1,385 units in 2018, she added.
"In 2019, the distribution of additional service benefits decreased by 398 housing units. Until 2020, only 82 housing units were distributed given the unstable condition of the Indonesian economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic," she said on Thursday.
Putri explained that the stipulation of the Manpower Minister Regulation Number 17 of 2021 is good news for the old-age insurance program participants as it offers employers convenience in providing assistance to their employees to secure homes, thereby assisting the government in providing housing for the public.
Some new things have been regulated in Ministerial Regulation Number 17 of 2021 to further optimize the distribution of housing benefits to workers, she informed.
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They include the addition of regional banks that are members of the Regional Banks Association (ASBANDA) and the launch of a new scheme that allows people to switch from general mortgages to additional service benefits mortgages, and makes deposit interest rates the basis for interest rate calculations for funding and loans, she said.
"To Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), (please) expedite information about additional service benefits program immediately to workers, entrepreneurs, housing development companies, and banks through joint work agreements with banks that are members of State Banks Association and Regional Banks Association," she urged.
Putri asked the State Savings Bank (BTN), whose core business lies in the housing sector, to ease banking requirements for workers applying for housing loans through the additional service benefits program.
"I also expect cooperation from entrepreneurs or employers and housing development companies to provide or facilitate housing for workers/laborers," she added.
She also highlighted that Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah had also reminded that the additional service benefits of the old-age insurance program should help participants and employers alike in meeting homeownership needs.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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