Jokowi Will Inaugurate Assistance For Salary Workers Under IDR 5 Million Tomorrow

JAKARTA - Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah stated that the Rp. 600 thousand Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) program for workers with salaries or wages below Rp. 5 million will soon be launched by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"God willing, it will be scheduled to launch government assistance in the form of salary or wage subsidies tomorrow on Thursday, August 27, 2020 by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi)," he said, during a working meeting with Commission IX of the DPR which was broadcast virtually, Wednesday, August 26.

According to Ida, currently his party is preparing the administration for the first phase of aid transfer process. Transfers will begin at the end of August.

Furthermore, Ida explained, the Ministry of Manpower had received data of 2.5 million prospective beneficiary accounts from BP Jamsostek on August 24.

"Hopefully this whole process goes according to what we planned. We plan to do it per batch (batch) per week at least 2.5 per batch per week we will do it (transfer)," he said.

Ida said the aim of this program is to protect, maintain and increase the economic capacity of workers or laborers in the context of dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government budget for this program is IDR 37.8 trillion. According to Ida, with this budget, his party will target beneficiaries of 15.7 million workers.

"This money will be given in the form of Rp. 600,000 which is given for 4 months. The process of giving is done in stages every 2 months," he explained.