Erick Thohir Opens Opportunities To Extend Assistance For Salary Workers Under IDR 5 Million

Minister of BUMN, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Ministry of BUMN)

JAKARTA - Minister of BUMN and Chief Executive of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (PEN) Erick Thohir met with entrepreneurs who are members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin). During the meeting, it was agreed that the Rp2.4 million salary subsidy assistance program would be continued.

"The salary subsidy that has been launched has a target of 15.7 million people who will be assisted and the value is very significant, namely Rp. 37.8 trillion because it is very important that we coordinate with Kadin, Apindo and others, in terms of ensuring supervision of this subsudy distribution," he said. , in a video conference with journalists, Wednesday, September 2.

Erick said, it is possible that if this program runs well it will be continued. However, he emphasized, until now the decision on the salary assistance program is only until December 2020.

"Alhamdulillah, in today's meeting we agreed that this supervision will also continue. We also hope that if this program is good, it can be continued. But now the decision is that the program can only run until December," he said.

As is well known, the salary or wage subsidy assistance program for non-PNS and BUMN workers with salaries below IDR 5 million has been disbursed. Having previously postponed the inauguration. In this initial stage, the number of beneficiaries is 2.5 million workers or laborers.

The distribution of salary subsidy assistance is given to workers or employees in the amount of IDR 600,000 per month for four months, or a total of IDR 2.4 million, which will be given every two months. This means that in one disbursement, workers will receive a subsidy of Rp1.2 million.

"Alhamdulillah, in mid-September, the target if possible has reached around 13.8 million. Of course the remaining Rp1.2 million will be paid around the end of October or early November. We hope it will accelerate so that people's purchasing power can be maintained," he said.

In addition, Erick said, the input given by Kadin and all those present at the meeting would be conveyed to the committee.

"From the committee, I received extraordinary input from Kadin to the committee, which usually meets every Friday with the Coordinating Minister for Airlangga and the PEN Task Force Pak Budi and Doni," he said.

On the same occasion, the Chairman of Kadin, Rosan Roeslani, said that his party helped ensure that the programs that had been launched by the government, especially salary assistance, could be right on target and also that their implementation was going well.

"Earlier, the Minister has already conveyed that given with a maximum salary of Rp. 5 million through the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan program to workers in all registered sectors, we have already received input from several companies," he said.

Rosan hopes that the implementation of this salary subsidy assistance can run well. Because, he said, in the midst of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, salary assistance is very meaningful.

"God willing, this can run well because this program is a program that really helps us. It is very, very helpful, not only appreciated by those in this room but also by all associations," he said.