"Poverty has very wide and complex problems. It (The handling of poverty) must be based on the region itself. For example, the poverty conditions in Java Island and outside of Java Island are different," the ministry's secretary, Andie Megantara, said in a statement received here on Tuesday.
According to him, the problem of poverty is multidimensional and each region has different characteristics.
However, government policies are often implemented using the same approach in all regions of Indonesia, he noted.
"All this time, our weakness is using the same instruments to eliminate poverty in all regions. In fact, the same amount of assistance has different values in Java and Papua," Megantara explained.
He then said that the government cannot work alone to overcome poverty. Universities are among the stakeholders needed to participate in efforts to eradicate poverty.
Therefore, collaboration with various stakeholders is needed to gain new perspectives to eliminate extreme poverty in each region, he explained.
According to Megantara, universities have the ability to understand regional characteristics with expert views from various scientific disciplines.
"The government hopes that universities in Indonesia will be able to provide a new perspective on overcoming poverty," he said.
Meanwhile, the dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business of Padjadjaran University, Nunuy Nur Afifah, said that collaboration and synergy between universities and the government is the right decision to tackle poverty.
"Universities have resources such as education, research, and community service, which have helped individuals get out of poverty, created innovation in overcoming poverty, and supported communities that need help," she added.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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