Chatib Basri: Worker Cards Are Indicators Of People Needing Money During The COVID-19 Pandemic

JAKARTA - The presence of the Pre-employment Card program has drawn criticism. This is because the online or online training programs provided are considered no better than free training on the YouTube platform. Although, the government says this program was created before the pandemic, it has not discouraged criticism of the program.

Finally, the government changed the function of the previous Pre-Work Card program to increase worker competence to become semi-social assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision served as a middle ground for criticism of the program.

Former Finance Minister Chatib Basri said there was a positive side to the program amidst the criticism that emerged. One of them can be an indicator of the social economy of the community in the midst of a crisis due to a pandemic.

"The pre-employment card has been heavily criticized because the online program is useless, etc. I understand. But actually this can be used as an indicator. If he wants money, even though the program might be criticized is useless, it means he is desperated . With that we know who really is the one who need money, "he said, in a virtual discussion, Tuesday, October 13.

Chatib said the indicator was how much the Pre-employment Card participants needed cash incentives. This is because, even though the program is deemed useless, the fact is that it is still followed by the community.

"For example, if a person uses a Pre-employment Card, online training is considered useless, he stops. But if he continues to participate in a useless program, that means he wants money," he said.

For information, the Pre-Work Card program is a training fee assistance to develop the competence, productivity, competitiveness and entrepreneurship of the Indonesian workforce. The pre-employment card does not use a physical card, but with 16 unique digits such as a credit card, the balance of which can be used to pay for training. The target recipients of the Pre-employment Card are Indonesian citizens aged 18 years and over and not currently attending school / college.

In order to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pre-Work Cards are semi-social assistance. Each pre-employment card recipient receives a total of Rp3.55 million. As for the details, the training cost is IDR 1 million, the post-training incentive is IDR 2.4 million.

The incentive is paid in stages over 4 months at a rate of IDR 600 thousand per month, as well as a maximum post-survey incentive of IDR 150 thousand for 3 evaluation surveys.

Previously, President Joko Widodo said that 4.86 million beneficiaries had received government assistance through the Pre-Work Card program.

"The realization up to September 23 (Pre-Employment Card Program) has disbursed IDR 16.617 trillion to 4.86 million beneficiaries," he said, giving a statement about the progress of the realization of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) program, Saturday, September 26.