Ida Fauziyah: Realization Of Wage Subsidies Reaches 93.94 Percent

The Indonesian Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziyah. (Photo: Ministry of Manpower)

JAKARTA - The government continues to be committed to encouraging the recovery of the national economy affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the efforts taken is the provision of Salary / Wage Subsidy Assistance (BSU) to workers or laborers.

This program is expected to be able to support the workers' economy so as to increase household purchasing power and consumption as well as move the wheels of the national economy.

The Minister of Manpower (Menaker), Ida Fauziyah revealed, based on data as of December 14, 2020, the realization of the BSU had touched IDR 27.96 trillion or 93.94 percent of the ceiling of IDR 29.85 trillion. In details, the distribution of BSU in the first term reached IDR 14.71 trillion.

This figure succeeded in touching 12.26 million workers or 98.86 percent of the government's target of 12.4 million workers. Then in the second term the realization reached Rp. 13.2 trillion for 11.04 million workers or 89 percent of the target.

"The realization rate in the second term is not perfect, considering that the distribution period is still ongoing until the end of December 2020," said Ida Fauziyah in a statement received by VOI, Thursday, December 17.

Ida said this at an event held by the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPC PEN), Wednesday, December 16.

The assistance that has been realized since September 2020 is provided to workers who meet a number of requirements, namely Indonesian citizens (WNI), registered as active participants of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (TK) until June 2020, workers receiving wages, and salaries that are reported to be below IDR 5 million per month. .

The total assistance given to each worker who meets the criteria is IDR 2.4 million. This figure is given in stages in two terms, each amounting to IDR 1.2 million. The first term will take place in August-October 2020 and the second term in November-December 2020.

Several challenges were recorded in realizing the BSU. In the first phase realization, a number of problematic accounts were found. This was revealed from the reports of channeling banks.

"Why can't it be 100 percent realized, because the channeling bank report says there is a problematic account data and cannot be transferred resulting in returns. Due to the return account, we are not silent. We return it to BP Jamsostek for repair," said the Menaker.

BP Jamsostek noted that there were 154,887 problematic accounts that prevented BSU from being transferred. The data repair process is then carried out by BP Jamsostek in coordination with regional branch offices, channeling banks, employers, and even communicating with the names of aid recipients.

As a result, as many as 87,963 accounts were successfully restored and have been submitted to the Ministry of Manpower. However, there are still 66,924 accounts that are still in the process of being repaired to date.

Works Nonstop

President Director of BP Jamsostek, Agus Susanto added, his party continues to make improvements and improvements to the data on BSU recipients that are still problematic. This also ensures that all teams in the regions work 24 hours non-stop to recover at least 60,000 beneficiary accounts that have yet to be transferred.

The Minister of Manpower also emphasized that his party put forward the principle of prudence in the distribution of BSU. The Ministry of Manpower has even involved external parties such as the KPK, BPK and BPKP to accompany the aid distribution process.

In the middle of the distribution of the first term BSU, the Ministry of Manpower together with BP Jamsostek also collaborated with the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance to match recipient data.

"This is the principle of prudence that we follow following the recommendations of the KPK. This effort is carried out solely to give confidence to all of us that BSU is right on target," added the Menaker.

"We also continue to be monitored by the KPK. We make sure that no funds are deposited in the Ministry of Manpower. Even if there is still a return fund, we will return it all to the state treasury," said the Minister.

The current government continues to discuss the continuation of this wage subsidy assistance. The Ministry of Manpower is very supportive if this program is carried out again next year. This is because the BSU is proven to have a positive effect on restoring the purchasing power of workers.

"Our ministry is certainly very ready to support this good program to emerge again next year. We are preparing a joint policy design," concluded the Minister of Manpower.