Statement of President of the Republic of Indonesia on Social Assistance during COVID-19 Pandemic Saturday, 16 May 2020 at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java Province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Ladies and Gentlemen, and Fellow countrymen,

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has provided some social assistance for the public, namely: free electricity bill for 450 VA customers and 50% discount for 900 VA customers; Staple Food Card for 20 million recipients; the Hope Family Program for 10 million families; Village direct cash assistance (BLT); and direct social assistance.

I would like to address two issues, namely the direct social assistance and the Village BLT which amounting to Rp600,000 each and will be given for 3 months in a row. I heard that there are still a lot of complaints in the community saying that they have not received the assistance yet.

I would like to explain that the Village BLT that has been channeled to the public is only 15 percent from the total amount, meaning that there are still 85 percent that have not been channeled to them. While for the direct social assistance, only around 25 percent that have been received by the public, so there are still 75 percent that have not been received.

Therefore, this morning I ordered Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Minister of Social Affairs, as well as Minister of Village and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, to accelerate the distribution process of those assistance by simplifying and cutting of the procedures so that the public can immediately receives the social assistance, be it Village BLT and direct social assistance. I hope the public will also continue to ask the Neighborhood Community Head or the Village Head as the person in charge.

That concludes my statement.

Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Translated by : Estu Widyamurti
Reviewed by : Mia Medyana B