Social Minister Syaifullah Yusuf: 228 Thousand Of 600,000 Social Assistance Recipients Played Judol Excluded

Minister of Social Affairs Syaifullah Yusuf gave a statement on the sidelines of a review of the People's School at the Wyataguna Complex, Bandung, Saturday (9/8/2025) night. ANTARA/Ricky Prayoga

BANDUNG - Minister of Social Affairs, Syaifullah Yusuf, confirmed that more than 600 thousand recipients of social assistance (bansos) were indicated to be playing online gambling (judol), and now more than 228,000 of them have been crossed out from the list of social assistance recipients.

"We obtained this data from PPATK (Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center), after we arrived and asked for confirmation about the accounts for social assistance recipients. Of the more than 9 million data on online gambling players, 600 thousand of them were recorded as recipients of social assistance," said Syaifullah after reviewing SRMP 9 of the Wyataguna Bandung Complex, Antara, Saturday, August 9 evening.

He explained that currently the Ministry of Social Affairs is still investigating more than 375 thousand other names on the list.

Including combing the profile of the work and economic background of the recipients, considering that in the data, a number of social assistance recipients who work as doctors, BUMN employees, and regional legislative members were also found.

"It turns out that many people admit that when they open an account they are doctors, BUMN employees and so on. We are verifying this. And if the conditions are not appropriate, we will write it out," he said.

Regarding social assistance that is not on target, said Syaifullah, it is indeed in the spotlight, as a form of correction, the president has issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 4 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of Improvement of Social Assistance Recipient Data, with the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) as the coordinator of updating national social assistance data.

"With this inpres, we are consolidating, we continue to update the social assistance data. One way is to check the profile of the recipient's account, including their savings balance," said Syaifullah.

Regarding the report of 35 DPRD members in Purwakarta who received social assistance in the form of wage subsidy assistance, Syaifullah admitted that this had only been detected because the data consolidation process with PPATK had only been running since February 2025, but he confirmed that he would follow up on the findings.

"We have only started consolidation since the Presidential Instruction was issued. We are proactive, not only with PPATK but also with local governments and channeling banks. If people want to refute or propose the recipient's name, they can go through the Social Assistance Check application," he said.

Syaifullah invited the public, including the mass media, to participate in supervising and reporting the incompatibility of social assistance recipients.

However, he also hopes that every incoming report can be equipped with data and evidence, so that it can be followed up.

"We need community participation. If there is an objection, don't just be on social media. Please convey it through an application with complete supporting data so that it can be followed up. Let's make sure this social assistance can be accepted by 20 million beneficiaries who are truly entitled," he added.