Praya, Central Lombok (ANTARA) - The local government handed over assistance to a middle-aged woman in Setanggor Village, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, who was taking a mud bath in a TikTok live broadcast for online begging.

"The assistance is in the form of entrepreneurial assistance for layer chicken farming and for Mrs. Mawar's basic needs," Acting Head of Central Lombok Social Office Lalu Wiraningsun stated here on Monday.

The assistance was distributed by the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Paramitha Social Center in Mataram.

The business capital assistance is expected to help Mrs. Mawar's family to develop a business to meet its daily needs, Wiraningsun stated.

"(This assistance is extended), so (that) they (can) do a business and no longer (need to) be a mud bath actor," he stated.

A social worker from the district's social office, Jumardiansyah, noted that in addition to the entrepreneurial assistance, Mrs. Mawar's family received home supplies, including beds and carpets.

According to Wiraningsun, the provision of assistance was based on the assessment conducted by the district social office and the Paramitha Center team.

"Mrs. Mawar slept on two plastic mats, which could be harmful to her health," Jumardiansyah pointed out.

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Setanggor Village Head H. Kamarudin lauded the provision of layer chicken along with their feed and cage to help Mrs. Mawar's family start a business.

Earlier, the police had launched an investigation to uncover the possibility of criminal acts in the TikTok content from @intan_komalasari92 that shows a woman bathing in mud. However, the police did not find any criminal elements in the content.

A sociologist from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Derajat Sulistyo Widhyarto, stated that the trend of begging for money through social media will subside on its own if netizens do not support these activities.

He affirmed that the government needs to educate social media users to not support acts of taking advantage of people's compassion, which is sometimes done by exploiting vulnerable citizens.

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Translator: Akhyar R, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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