During a working visit to Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf emphasized the importance of community involvement at the city, district, and neighborhood levels to make the government’s program successful.
To achieve this success, he stated that the ministry is continually updating and improving the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS) to ensure that residents in need of social assistance are included.
The data is updated monthly by the ministry after receiving reports from district heads and mayors across Indonesia regarding people eligible for social aid program benefits.
DTKS serves as a key foundation for implementing government assistance programs, ensuring that aid is distributed fairly to residents who need it.
It is, therefore, essential to involve various parties in identifying residents and families needing government assistance, including the elderly, schoolchildren, orphans, and people with disabilities.
The ministry has also opened opportunities for people, such as relatives and neighbors, to help others in need get listed for assistance.
The public can support the program by using the ministry's website, allowing social assistance benefits to reach all eligible groups.
Additionally, the public has been asked to report any errors in recipient data, such as names of ineligible individuals mistakenly listed as aid recipients.
Preventing misuse
The Ministry of Social Affairs has stressed that government cash assistance must not be misused by recipient families, especially for purposes that do not have a positive impact.
Misuse of cash assistance can hinder the poverty alleviation program, which aims to help communities manage social risks, economic welfare issues, and food needs.
During Minister Yusuf's visit to Semarang, the ministry disbursed Rp57.65 billion (around US$3.6 million) under the Family Hope Program (PKH), targeting 26,000 households.
The ministry also allocated Rp7.2 billion to empower 36,000 families in Semarang, with each family receiving Rp200,000 (around US$12.71).
Furthermore, the ministry provided Rp3.5 billion for 380,000 orphans, with each child receiving Rp200,000.
If this assistance is well managed and properly utilized, public welfare in Indonesia, especially in Semarang, could improve.
The government also spent Rp2.6 billion to address the nutritional needs of the elderly. Under the food assistance program, people over 75 who live alone can receive two free meals daily, in the morning and afternoon.
The government is also offering assistance in the form of business tools. One recipient, Sumarjo, who has opened a small grocery stall at his home, received a cooler and a glass display case for products.
Sumarjo expressed gratitude for the assistance, describing it as a tangible sign of government support for low-income individuals. He expects the aid to boost his store and improve his income.
Meanwhile, 86-year-old Sri Amini, a recipient of food aid, expressed her happiness with the program. In addition to free meals, she received other necessities and a comfortable mattress.
During his visit to Semarang, Minister Yusuf also met with Silvi April Mayangsari, 13, and her mother, Eliana Wahyuni, 53, who live in a small house with a damaged roof.
Eliana, a recipient of business assistance, has been able to start her own business selling grilled corn in her neighborhood.
She is hopeful that this assistance will help increase her income and improve her family’s living conditions. She expressed gratitude to the government for its support.
The Ministry of Social Affairs has once again reminded the public to use the assistance to improve their quality of life. It also urged regional social workers to monitor how the assistance is used.
Encouraging all levels of society to actively participate in the program is essential.
President Prabowo Subianto has entrusted Minister Yusuf, who also served under Joko Widodo's administration, with this important responsibility.
To fulfill this mandate, the minister is committed to visiting various regions to ensure that assistance reaches those in need and is not misused.
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Translator: Chairul R, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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