Wage Subsidy Disbursement Reaches 97.37%

Illustration: Documentation of Ministry of Manpower Public Relations

The Indonesian Government has disbursed wage subsidy assistance to 11,950,300 workers (97.37%).

“As of 12 October 2020, the wage subsidy has been disbursed to 11.9 million workers. We continue to encourage the banking sector to accelerate the distribution process,” Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah said through the Press Release of the Ministry, in Jakarta, Tuesday (13/10).

Based on the Ministry’s data, as of 12 October 2020, the subsidy has been distributed to 2,485,687 recipients (99.43%) in batch I, 2,981,533 recipients (99.38%) in batch II, 3,476,361 recipients (99.32%) in batch III, 2,579,703 recipients (97.20%) in batch IV, and 427,016 recipients (69.03%) in batch V.

“The assistance is a part of the National Economic Recovery Programs. This program is expected to maintain people’s purchasing power amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ida said.

The subsidy, according to the Minister, is expected to be disbursed in two periods. The first period consisted of 5 batches. The Ministry will evaluate the first period before the start of the second installment. “The second period is expected to start at the end of October 2020 or at the latest in early November,” the Minister added.

With a budget of Rp37.7 trillion, the program is expected to reach 15.7 million workers registered as the Social Security Agency for Employment (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) participants (as of 30 June 2020). However, until the deadline for data submission, the data collected and submitted by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan only reached 12,272,731 workers.

“The remaining budget will be handed back to the State Treasurer. The plan is that it will be disbursed to honorary teachers and educators, both within Ministry of Education and Culture and Ministry of Religious Affairs,” the Minister said. (Ministry of Manpower Public Relations Bureau/UN)

Translated by: Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Reviewed by: Lulu Wuliarti