According to the minister, the figure was determined by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), which cross-referenced 28.4 million identity numbers of social aid recipients in 2024 with 9.7 million individuals listed as online gamblers, finding 571,410 matches.
“Two percent of social aid beneficiaries in 2024 were online gamblers involved in a total of 7.5 million transactions, valued at Rp957 billion,” Yusuf said in Jakarta on Thursday.
He added that a significant portion of the budget of more than Rp500 trillion (roughly US$31 billion) allocated for this year’s aid and subsidy initiatives may have been distributed inaccurately.
The minister then called attention to poor targeting in the Family Hope Program (PKH), government incentive assistance (BIP), staple commodity aid, and subsidies for liquefied petroleum gas, fuel, and electricity.
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To address this, the government will continue to improve aid accuracy by ensuring funds are strictly directed to those classified as deserving in the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN), he assured.
“As per President Prabowo Subianto’s instruction, the Social Affairs Ministry will continue to strengthen data consolidation and conduct ground checks, especially since some residents have reportedly received social aid for 10 to 15 years,” he said.
He also called on regional governments to solely refer to the DTSEN for aid distribution, in line with Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2025 regarding the database.
“Governors, district heads, mayors, and other regional officials should strictly consult the DTSEN when distributing social aid,” he emphasized.
He added that while the DTSEN has not yet fully matured, the government is updating its content daily to ensure it serves as a reliable tool for precise aid distribution.
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Translator: Lintang B, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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