Social Minister Urges Not To Give Money To Beggars In Today's Memory, 27 August 2010

Illustration of beggars. (ANTARA/PramAYuda)

JAKARTA - Today's memory, 14 years ago, August 27, 2010, Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Salim Segaf Al Jufri appealed to the Indonesian people not to give money to beggars. He considers giving money to beggars is not educating. Giving money can make beggars complacent so they don't want to work hard.

Previously, seasonal beggars often mushroomed ahead of the entry of religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr. Beggars consider religious holidays to make the intentions of people of high charity and their pockets easily filled.

The month of Ramadan is remembered as a month full of blessings and forgiveness. This condition made all Muslims begin to net and seek reward with charity. The goal is to perfect religious orders.

Problems arise. Good intentions are often misused. Those who get alms are not those who really need it. This condition has become the way for many seasonal beggars to come to big cities.

Take for example in Jakarta. the streets of the capital are often crowded with seasonal beggars. They are increasingly coming because of the money given to them. This condition often disturbs the order on the highway. They put their own lives at risk and also the lives of other dealers.

This condition makes Satpol PP get a job. They often patrol by controlling as long as seasonal beggars act on the streets of the capital city. Satpol PP members don't really want to take this action. However, seasonal beggars have mushroomed.

Satpol PP realized that the control operation would not work without the support and assistance of the community. The people of Jabodetabek are asked not to serve beggars. Alias did not give money to them.

Satpol PP Jakarta asked them to directly donate to trusted institutions so that they are immediately distributed to the right hands. Because, giving seasonal beggars is the same as'maintaining' the mentality of beggars.

"We prefer not to discipline them, but there must be an awareness that they do not beg and sell on the streets. If they want to give alms, there are many places for alms. It is no longer appropriate to give small money on the streets," said Head of DKI Jakarta Satpol PP, Effendi Anas, quoted from the detik.com page, August 12, 2010.

Information about the proliferation of seasonal beggars to the ears of the Minister of Social Affairs, Salim Segaf Al Jufri on August 27, 2010. He invited all Indonesians not to give money to beggars anywhere. Efforts to give money to beggars are tantamount to creating a lazy character.

The appeal is expected to be obeyed soon. This condition is so that Eid al-Fitr can run conducively. Even worship goes smoothly. He also appealed to the security forces not to conduct raids. If they go to the field, they are asked to be reprimanded verbally.

"If you give money, you don't educate either. If you just keep begging, they don't want to work. He's actually enough. But the opportunity to make money. Not with raids, not good. Do it politely," said Salim Segaf as quoted on the tempo.co page, August 27, 2010.