Visiting Fishermen’s Village, President Jokowi Contributes IDR 300 Million for Start-up Capital

Visiting Fishermen’s Village, President Jokowi Contributes IDR 300 Million for Start-up Capital

After meeting with the high-ranking officers of Indonesian National Police (Polri) in the Police Academy (Akpol) in Semarang, Central Java, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) together with Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti visited Tambaklorok Fishermen’s Village, Semarang City, on Tuesday afternoon (2/12).

President Jokowi’s arrival immediately excited the residents of the village located in a slum area. They crowded around him and hardly gave him any chance to speak.

On that occasion, President Jokowi took the opportunity to talk to a number of residents with Javanese language.

“Please listen to me and let me speak. I will give some financial assistance to Pak RW (the head of the neighborhood) as much as IDR 300 million. The assistance is to be distributed to the residents who really need it, especially for their start-up capital. That’s all,” President Jokowi said, greeted with the residents’ loud applause.

Jokowi demanded that the financial assistance he gave should be distributed to the residents for starting fish business, building fishing ports, and building fish markets. “The money can also be used to raise chickens and the like. I’ll give this money to Pak RW. It is to be distributed to you for your working capital,” Jokowi stated.

Afterward, President Jokowi summoned Bambang Handoyono, the head of RW 15 (the neighborhood) in Tambakmulyo Hamlet, Tanjung Mas Village, North Semarang Sub-district, Semarang City, to receive the financial assistance.

After giving the financial assistance, President Jokowi made a tour around the local fish auction market to observe directly the fish caught and sold by the local fishers. Jokowi also took the opportunity to walk on the fragile wooden bridge which is about to crumble on East Semarang Flood Control Canal.

In the end of his visit, President Jokowi gave symbolically a Prosperous Family Saving Card (KKS) to a local disadvantaged resident. Jokowi advised the resident not to directly withdraw the money.

“Please remember that you can only withdraw the money on the sixth day next month in the post office,” Jokowi stated and concluded his dialog with the local residents.

After leaving Tambaklorok Fishermen’s Village, President Jokowi and his entourage set off immediately for Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang to return to Jakarta using Garuda Indonesia’s commercial plane. (AM/Humas Setkab/ES)