Allowing Social Assistance Distribution Ahead Of The 2024 Pilkada Vote, Minister Of Social Affairs: If The Condition Is Emergency Yes

JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul emphasized that social assistance (bansos) for disaster emergencies will still be distributed ahead of the Pilkada which falls on November 27 during voting.

"If it is an emergency, yes, yes, but if it is normal, there has been a circular letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) not to be distributed until the Pilkada is complete," he said when met after assisting landslide victims in Sukabumi, West Java, Monday, November 18, confiscated by Antara.

He emphasized that the social assistance that was stopped was only what was budgeted for from the APBD, while the APBN was still ongoing.

"From the state budget, it's just going on, so from the Ministry of Social Affairs, now it's in the fourth quarter stage, and this has started to be distributed, both for the recipients of the hope family (PKH) and for social assistance. The value, I forgot exactly, but around Rp. 18 trillion," he said.

Previously, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian agreed that the proposed distribution of social assistance (bansos) was temporarily suspended ahead of the November 27 regional election voting.

Even so, Tito said the policy had exceptions, namely in areas that experienced disasters. He said his party would not stop distributing social assistance to people who are experiencing disasters.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has issued a Circular (SE) to the local government (Pemda) which regulates the delay in the distribution of social assistance (bansos) from the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto emphasized that the regulation was exempted from areas experiencing disasters, such as the Province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

"So, it should be understood that this social assistance was postponed, especially those sourced from the APBD," said Bima.

According to him, the temporary suspension of social assistance arose due to many reports in which election contestants were worried and suspicious of abuse of power.