The Mataram NTB City Government Has Temporarily Stopped Compensation Of Death Ahead Of The 2024 Regional Head Elections

NTB - The Mataram City Government (Pemkot) in West Nusa Tenggara Province has temporarily suspended the disbursement of death compensation assistance to avoid polemics ahead of the November 27, 2024 Pilkada voting.

Head of the Mataram City Social Service (Dinsos) Lalu Samsul Adnan said that the compensation for death was temporarily suspended in accordance with the government's policy of temporarily stopping social assistance (bansos) until the voting stage was completed.

"The policy aims to avoid the misuse of social assistance politicization by regional head candidates," he said in Mataram, Thursday, November 21, as reported by Antara.

The temporary suspension of death compensation assistance is also in accordance with instructions from the Acting Mayor of Mataram Tri Budiprayitno to temporarily detain various social assistance until the voting stage is complete.

"If social assistance is not as crucial as for the impact of a disaster, we recommend that we hold it first so as not to potentially violate the rules," he said.

It is said that the temporary suspension of death compensation has been carried out since the Circular Letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs was received on November 11, 2024.

However, he continued, the stages of submitting death compensation by residents can still be carried out, because the Social Service will also continue to carry out the process of disbursement.

The reason is, the disbursement of death compensation must complete several conditions, including death certificates, ID cards, and families who died as well as their heirs.

"If the conditions are complete, we can process the issuance of SP2D (order for disbursement of funds) from finance and assistance can be disbursed for a maximum of nine days," he said.

However, for disbursement, death compensation will be carried out after the election voting process is in accordance with the direction of the central government.

"So that residents are not disappointed, we have given an explanation when the community makes a request and they can understand," he said.

The death compensation program was given to all residents of Mataram City who died, both rich and underprivileged and regardless of religion amounting to Rp. 500,000 per once death.

The total budget for the death of Mataram City in 2024 is IDR 650 million, with the current realization of around IDR 600 million.

"The remaining Rp50 million. We cannot confirm whether the budget is sufficient or lacking, because the death toll cannot be predicted," he said.