Deputy Walkot Assists Business Capital For Surabaya Residents Who Pawn PKH Cards For Life

Surabaya residents who pawned their PKH cards for survival received assistance from Surabaya Deputy Mayor Armuji (PHOTO VIA ANTARA)

SURABAYA - Deputy Mayor of Surabaya Armuji provided business capital assistance and basic necessities to residents of Pogot Baru Surabaya who pawned the Family Hope Program (PKH) card to support their families.

"During the pandemic, there are indeed many people who have lost their jobs, it is our obligation to help these residents," said Deputy Mayor of Surabaya Armuji as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, July 28.

According to Armuji, his party has sent an envoy to visit the residence of the resident who pawned the PKH card in Pogot Baru, Gang Karya Bakti, Number 64, City of Surabaya. The resident was named Vita, a 33-year-old housewife.

"Not only helping with capital and basic necessities, but also redeeming the PKH card," he said.

Armuji said that the incident experienced by the housewife could be a lesson so that the social safety net in the city of Surabaya can be optimized for its role.

"We will ask the lurah, sub-district head and social services to be responsive when meeting residents who are experiencing difficulties. We must protect this city together," he said.

In addition to providing assistance, he continued, Armuji asked for relevant citizen data to be a concern for the Surabaya City Government in providing policy interventions for low-income people (MPR).

Vita previously said that she had to pawn the PKH card because her husband, who usually sells pentols at Wachid Hasyim School, has not been able to sell any more since the implementation of the Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM). So it has an impact on the husband's income is reduced considerably.

"What I pawned was a PKH ATM card to collect assistance. I pledged IDR 500 thousand to someone, I'd redeemed it for IDR 550 thousand," he said.

Vita added that to keep herself alive with her husband and four children, she was forced to pawn her PKH card to someone secretly. The PKH card has been pawned since June 21, 2021.

"The maturity date is a month after that. Until now I have not been able to redeem it. So I can't take aid from the government, such as rice aid, some time ago," he said.