"People often say that social aid is just an expense. Instead, social aid is an investment—an investment to achieve future growth, or even growth itself," DEN member Arief Anshory Yusuf stated in a discussion here on Saturday.
Yusuf noted that social aid aligns with Prabowo's Astacita, as it highlights people's welfare as its focus.
Moreover, the government is pursuing other measures to ensure welfare, such as the free nutritious meal program, economic deregulation, and a second-quarter stimulus package.
In the same statement, the Finance Ministry's director general for economic and fiscal strategy, Febrio Kacaribu, stated that of Rp3621.3 trillion (US$224 billion) in the 2025 state budget, 13.9 percent, or Rp503.2 trillion (USD31 million), is allocated for social security.
Moreover, six percent of the state budget, or Rp218.5 trillion (US$13.5 million), is designated for health. Kacaribu also highlighted the Rp24.4 trillion (US$1.5 million) allocated for the aforementioned economic stimulus.
He explained that the stimulus includes incentives such as discounts on tickets for public transportation, including trains and ferries, tollway discounts, and additional social aid, among others.
He expressed hope that the stimulus and social security aid would help maintain economic growth in the second quarter and strengthen people's purchasing power.
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Reporter: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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