According to Irawati, this is part of an effort to optimize the role of the drivers in supporting national priority programs.
"They help the community in daily activities. It is time for us to help them back," she said on Monday.
She added that the government sees their potential to support the MBG program.
"Those drivers can be empowered to deliver MBG packages to beneficiaries at certain service locations," she said.
By involving them in the MBG program, the government hopes to make food distribution more effective, while improving the welfare of the drivers, who are an important part of the national transportation and logistics system, Irawati informed.
She then highlighted the driver community's track record in supporting the Prabowo-Gibran government.
For instance, thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers from various regions enlivened the inauguration celebrations of the President and Vice President on October 20, 2024.
"They hope that the new government can bring changes to their welfare," she said.
President Prabowo Subianto has instructed operator companies Gojek and Grab to provide Eid bonuses (BHR) to their drivers and online couriers during this Ramadan month.
"The President said that online drivers and couriers deserve Eid bonuses because they have made important contributions to transportation and logistics in Indonesia," Irawati said.
The MBG program is one of the priority programs of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration.
It was officially launched on January 6, 2025, with the target of covering three million beneficiaries in the first three months and six million in the next three months.
The beneficiaries include students, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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