Motivating Students to Work, Minister of Social Affairs Risma: Almost 99.9 Percent of Ministry of Social Employees Are Not Technical Personnel

Minister of Social Affairs at the 13th National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Student Action Unit (KMHDI) in Surabaya. (Antara)

1. JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Tri Rismaharini said that Indonesia's condition, with its diversity of problems, requires student participation in development.

"I have visited several border areas, such as Kalimantan, Papua, and also those bordering Timor Leste. In these places the Ministry of Social Affairs is making efforts for social improvement. This includes providing community needs such as clean water," said the Minister of Social Affairs at the 13th National Working Meeting of the Action Unit. Indonesian Hindu Dharma Students (KMHDI) in Surabaya, via a written statement, as cited by Antara.

The Minister of Social Affairs assessed that what the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) had done could certainly be done by students. They gain various knowledge which is considered to be very useful if applied in the student's area or region of origin.

"I can say that almost 99.9 percent of the employees at the Ministry of Social Affairs are not technical personnel. However, they can build facilities for the community such as clean water networks. I also have an architectural background but I am the Minister of Social Affairs and thank God I can do it. I am sure you, my children, can also play an active role in minimal development in your area," she said.

In motivating the KMHDI students, the Minister of Social Affairs also invited the Director of Empowerment of Remote Indigenous Communities of the Ministry of Social Affairs I Ketut Supena to be involved in this event via the Zoom application.

"He (Ketut Supena) is a Hindu who studied at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and became the best and fastest graduate. So when I took him to the Ministry of Social Affairs, I asked him to study business because at the Ministry of Social Affairs there is an 'economic hero' program as an effort to empower social assistance beneficiaries to be independent, and it turns out he can," she said.

According to the Minister of Social Affairs, Ketut's achievements are something that students should emulate. They are expected to be encouraged by what Ketut has achieved and are expected to never give up. "You can definitely do it. Don't give up," she said.

Not wanting the students' enthusiasm to dampen and looking very enthusiastic about listening to the presentation, the Minister of Social Affairs also made comparisons with disability groups who were successful in various fields. The Minister of Social Affairs said that many people with disabilities are successful. Even though their body condition has limitations, they can maximize their work.

"I have several groups of people with physical disabilities such as the blind, speech impaired, deaf and other physical disabilities. However, when I present them at international events, they are extraordinary and receive extraordinary appreciation," she said.