Jokowi's Instruction Response, National Police Chief: No Information On Social Assistance With Problems In The Regions

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo/DOK Polri

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed the TNI-Polri ranks to immediately distribute Emergency PPKM social assistance (bansos) to affected communities.

Following up on the instructions, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo asked all his staff to immediately distribute social assistance to points of community whose economy was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So I don't want any information on the ground that conveys that in one area there are still problems with social assistance," said General Sigit in Sidoarjo, quoted from a written statement, Saturday, July 17.

In his review, General Sigit also released Bhabinkamtibmas and Babinsa personnel to distribute food and rice packages to people in East Java.

"Therefore, today following up on our President's order from the National Police, we have reduced social assistance by approximately 2,500 tons of rice and 70 thousand food packages. This is part of the President's program to reduce social assistance in all affected areas," said the National Police Chief.

It is known, from the total rice stock owned by the East Java Regional Police as much as 1,289 tons of rice, which has been distributed from 3-16 July amounted to 232 tons of rice.

General Sigit emphasized that the social assistance must be distributed immediately. If later the stock has run out, Sigit emphasized, to immediately report and coordinate in order to get shipments for additional stock.

The acceleration of the distribution of social assistance, said Sigit, is an effort by the Government to improve the welfare of the community in the midst of the implementation of the Emergency PPKM. Because the policy aims to save citizens from the dangers of the corona virus.

"Please flush out the stock, if it is not enough, it will be sent soon. And the Social Minister will send this as part of the government's efforts to overcome or reduce the burden on the affected people," continued the National Police Chief.

It is known, throughout 2020, the social assistance distributed by the National Police was 394,347 food packages, 30,000 tons of rice, 790,436 medical equipment/PPE, and the establishment of 13,119 public kitchens.

Then, until July 2, 2021, the social assistance distributed by the National Police was 750,780 food packages, 3,753 tons of rice, 763,079 medical equipment/PPE, and the establishment of 143,467 public kitchens.

Meanwhile, for the period 3 to 16 July 2021, the National Police has distributed social assistance to communities affected by COVID-19 in 34 Polda areas as many as 250,797 basic food packages and 1,418,805 kg or 1,418 tons of rice.

Meanwhile, the rice stock owned by the National Police Headquarters for the distribution of social assistance on a national scale is 50,751.3 tons. Then, the Police have also prepared additional assistance that is ready to be sent in the form of 150,000 food packages during the Emergency PPKM period.