Ministry Of Social Affairs Re-verifys 600,000 Accounts Of Troubled Social Assistance Recipients

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) revealed that there are around 600,000 accounts of recipients of social assistance (bansos) indicated to be problematic. Even so, the government still provides opportunities for recipients who are entitled to continue to receive social assistance, through the re-verification process that is currently being carried out.

Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, or familiarly called Gus Ipul conveyed this at a press conference at the Ministry of Social Affairs Building, Jalan Salemba Raya, Central Jakarta, Monday 15 September.

According to him, the problem of the social assistance recipient's account varies. Some were proven to have misused aid funds, while others were victims of data misuse or merely experienced administrative errors.

We found that there were recipients who used social assistance for activities that damaged health, social life, or the economy, such as online gambling (judol). However, there are also data that other parties use. Therefore, updating and field verification are very important," said Gus Ipul.

The Minister of Social Affairs emphasized that this re-verification step was not aimed at punishing recipients, but to ensure that social assistance was really accepted by the poor and vulnerable.

"The context of this policy does not merely stop aid, but ensures that social assistance is right on target, is truly accepted by those who are entitled," he said.

Of the total 600,000 accounts indicated to be problematic, 228,000 accounts have been crossed out of the list of recipients since August 2025.

Meanwhile, 375,000 other accounts are still in the deepening stage. This process includes checking the identity of the recipient, working history, and the flow of financial transactions.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is also working with financial authorities, local governments, and village officials to ensure verification is carried out transparently and accurately. Family Hope Program (PKH) officers are involved in this process.

Furthermore, Gus Ipul emphasized that people who receive social assistance who are indicated to be problematic are still given the opportunity to update the data.

"We provide opportunities for beneficiaries to update data, especially if previously they were proven or indicated to have abused social assistance, for example to play judol. This verification involves local social services down to the village and village levels," he explained.

With this step, the Ministry of Social Affairs hopes that social assistance can be distributed more fairly, on target, and really help the poor and vulnerable groups.