Speaking at a seminar organized by the Indonesian Shopping Center Managers Association (APPPBI), he said, "There are 17 types of aids and, in total, we spent Rp17.18 trillion.”
The 17 types of social aid were provided in the form of the Smart Jakarta Card (KJP), Superior Student Jakarta Card (KJMU), basic necessities aid for subsidized food, Elderly Card, and aid for helping the unemployed become entrepreneurs, among others.
However, according to data from Statistics Indonesia’s (BPS’) Jakarta office, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Jakarta stood at 95,668 as of March 2022.
The extremely poor accounted for 0.89 percent of Jakarta’s total population of 10.7 million, an increase of 0.29 percent compared to 0.60 percent in March 2021.
The extreme poverty category, according to the revised parameters issued by the World Bank in September 2022, covers people with a daily income of US$2.15. The parameter used to be US$1.90 at the start of 2022.
In addition to extreme poverty, Jakarta is also grappling with childhood stunting cases. The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has estimated that 110 thousand infants, or 14 percent of the total 790 thousand infants in Jakarta, are stunted.
The Jakarta provincial government is currently making a number of efforts to reduce poverty and stunting. The efforts have included the synchronization and validation of social prosperity-related data.
This has been undertaken to get more accurate data to ensure more accurate social aid distribution.
Observing this reality, Hartono urged mall entrepreneurs in Jakarta to help the government reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty and experiencing stunting.
He said he believes that businesses have a social responsibility. According to the acting governor, based on a statement from shopping centers, their businesses are starting to grow in a smooth fashion.
Given this development, after the trial of the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs are now capable of setting aside a portion of their income to help alleviate social problems in Jakarta, he said.
"We can resolve issues. The people should be paid attention to," he remarked.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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