The Pre-Employment Card Keeps Going Even Though It Is Proposed To Become BLT

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartato (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has responded to the public's pressure that the Pre-Work Card program, which becomes a social safety net for people affected by COVID-19, is converted into direct cash assistance (BLT).

According to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartato, currently many BLT programs from the government have been given to the community. Thus, the Pre-employment Card program does not need to be converted into BLT. The Pre-Work Card Program, he said, must continue to run to help workers who have been sent home due to this pandemic.

"Regarding the pre-employment cards, we already have a lot of BLT and as explained in the BLT there is a package of Rp105 trillion and in that package there is an additional Rp10 trillion for the Prakera Card," said Airlangga in a press conference broadcast on the Cabinet Secretariat's official YouTube account, Wednesday, April 22.

Airlangga said that the Pre-Employment Card initially functioned as a program that helped increase the ability of prospective workers. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. In the end, this card was used to provide training for workers who had been laid off (PHK) or were sent home without income.

Moreover, according to him, the Pre-Employment Card will only be a temporary social safety net or will return to the original design to increase the capabilities of job seekers when the pandemic ends.

Meanwhile, direct cash assistance (BLT), Airlangga explained, is intended for people affected by COVID-19, through social assistance in the form of the Family Hope Program (PKH), Basic Food Cards, and other assistance.

"There will also be labor intensive activities at the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Affairs and Public Works. So this (Pre-employment Card) becomes one of the social safety nets. Not the only one," he said.

So, instead of adding BLT, Airlangga hopes that the community can use the Pre-Work Card to add new abilities which will certainly be useful during the recovery period after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, this training will also have offline or face-to-face training, of course after COCVID-19 ends.

In addition to gaining new abilities by participating in training, the community will also receive financial assistance from the government of Rp. 600 thousand for four months.

Previously, Researcher at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Bhima Yudhistira said the Pre-Employment Card was not the answer to the difficulties for workers who were affected or had to be laid off due to the spread of COVID-19.

"The pre-employment card does not answer the crisis problem faced, that the victims of layoffs need more assistance in the form of cash transfers or BLT compared to online training," said Bhima in a written statement.

So that to avoid wasteful budget, the government should stop the Pre-Work Card and divert the budget to the public so that it has a direct impact on purchasing power.

If you still insist on holding a Pre-Work Card program on the pretext of increasing the capacity of affected communities, Bhima suggests that the government provide internet subsidies.

"Compared to providing online training, it is better for the government to provide internet subsidies for three to five months to all Indonesian people. So that people can access similar training content on YouTube and free platforms," he said.