Hidayat Nur Wahid Asks Government To Expand Social Assistance During Emergency PPKMKM

Deputy Chairman of the MPR RI Hidayat Nur Wahid. (Photo Between)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid, asked the government to expand the target coverage and increase the number of recipients of social assistance (bansos) during the implementation of the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) policy.

He urged the government to at least reimpose the social assistance scheme at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, including expanding the target and increasing the social assistance index for PKH, basic necessities, and cash social assistance.

"Of course with data validation of eligible citizens, as well as better supervision and transparency, so that the Bansos corruption tragedy does not repeat itself, which causes the Social Assistance program to be ineffective," said Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday, July 4, as reported by the Jakarta Post. Among.

He criticized the Government's plan to provide three types of social assistance during the Emergency PPKM, the Family Hope Program (PKH) for 10 million beneficiary families (KPM), the Sembako Program for 18.8 million KPM, and the disbursement of the extension of the May-June cash assistance for 10 million KPM. .

According to Hidayat, the three types of social assistance are regular social assistance that was given before the implementation of Emergency PPKM, so it is not expected that it will be effective in keeping most people at home during the Emergency PPKM era.

"Even though the Emergency PPKM paradigm has different consequences, there are even more people affected by COVID-19 than before the Emergency PPKM was implemented," he said.

Therefore, HNW also reminded the Minister of Social Affairs' central role to make social assistance successful in the Emergency PPKM era with a more efficient scheme, free of corruption, and effective in helping residents affected by the COVID-19 national disaster.

He suggested that the government should make Emergency PPKM a solution, it should help people affected by the PPKM policy by distributing social assistance expansion.

Not only for the poor, but also for the vulnerable. The social assistance should not only be regular social assistance, but also extended social assistance, with more valid data, and with a higher commitment to professionalism so that it will not be corrupted again," he said.

Hidayat explained, at the beginning of the Pandemic, especially the April-June 2020 period, the Government through the Ministry of Social Affairs imposed an extension of social assistance in several programs.

He gave the example of the PKH Bansos for 10 million KPM, the aid index was increased by 25 percent and the disbursement, which was once every three months, was accelerated to monthly.

In addition, according to him, basic food cards were given to 20 million KPM with the aid index increased by 33 percent so that each person gets Rp. 200,000 per month for basic necessities.

"Three months of electricity fee waiver for 24 million 450VA customers and 50 percent discount for 7 million 900VA customers. As well as food assistance and direct cash for around 11 million KPM with an index of Rp600,000 per month for the first three months," he said.

According to Hidayat, through the mechanism for expanding social assistance, as at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current government can only more effectively ask people to stay at home, and reduce mobility outside the home.