Member Of The House Of Representatives, Witness Prabowo-Gibran, Admits That He Takes Advantage Of Social Assistance As An Electoral Incentive

The continued trial of the 2024 General Election Result Dispute (PHPU) at Building I MK RI, Jakarta, Thursday (4/4/2024). (ANTARA/Fath Putra Mulya)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, Tubagus Ace Hasan Syadzily, agrees that the provision of social assistance (bansos) is often used as an electoral incentive by legislatives.

He made this statement when he was a witness to the Prabowo-Gibran camp in the General Election Result Dispute (PHPU) trial at the Constitutional Court (MK), Thursday, April 4.

"As members of the legislature, of course, we want every program from our partners as well, we want to have electoral incentives," Ace said in a trial at the Constitutional Court building.

In fact, the 'politicization' of social assistance did not only occur by Commission VIII. It is said that such a practice was carried out by Commission X which is engaged in education by bringing up or running the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) program.

"I don't think that's wrong because it's part of fighting for our constituency. So yesterday we heard that there was a political pork barrel, in fact, there was more tendency in the legislative election, compared to apologize in the context of the presidential election," he said.

However, the 'politicization' of social assistance is undeniable to also occur in the presidential election contestation (Pilpres). In fact, specifically, 2024, it is believed that all candidate pairs do it.

"These social assistance programs are often capitalized by merging or modifying, by, I don't think it's just the 02 presidential candidate but also other presidential candidates with terms such as PLH Plus, magic cards, and so on," said Ace.

Meanwhile, a member of Commission VII DPR Abdul Wachid said that in the distribution of aid, he also received a share from the Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini.

"We as members of the council go to the electoral district every time we go to the electoral district, given by the Minister of Social Affairs to participate in handing over the aid to the village level," said Wachid.

According to him, this has been going on for a long time. As far as I can remember, it has been going on since 2021.

"That's what was called the electoral incentive earlier? One of the forms?" asked Judge Saldi Isra.

"Yes. It's not only 2024. From 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. We do that every time we do that activity," replied Wachid.