Jokowi: BLT Cooking Oil Don't Buy Telecommunications Credit

President Jokowi with Social Minister Tri Rismaharini/PHOTO via Youtube screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo reminded the beneficiary families (KPM) not to spend cooking oil direct cash assistance (BLT) to buy telecommunications credit.

The President also entrusted the message to be forwarded by distribution officers to KPM according to the direction of the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini, on the sidelines of directly observing the distribution of BLT cooking oil and non-cash food assistance (BPNT) for necessities at the Pos building, Pasar Baru, Jakarta.

"Please convey to the recipients that this cooking oil BLT is really being used as directed by the Minister of Social Affairs, both to buy cooking oil and necessities, but not to buy telecommunications credit", said President Jokowi, quoted by Antara, Monday, April 25.

The President also conducted online monitoring of the distribution of BLT cooking oil and BPNT for necessities which were carried out at least six other points throughout Indonesia.

Officials from Banda Aceh, Aceh, reported that in their area the distribution of BLT cooking oil and BPNT for necessities had reached 99.35 percent and only 61 KPM remained.

In Medan, North Sumatra, the distribution of social assistance has reached a level of 97.21 percent after 60 KPMs received their rights.

In Serang, Banteng, the distribution rate has reached 98.36 percent, while in Depok, West Java, it has reached 98.87 percent.

In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, distribution has reached 96.8 percent, while DKI Jakarta is at 93.30 percent with 1,420 KPM not receiving their rights.

One of the residents who directly received the social assistance at the Post Building, Siti Maimunah, admitted that she was greatly helped by what she got from the government.

"I happened to sell fried rice. Alhamdulillah, it's very helpful in a situation like this. Thank you because we were allowed to receive this assistance", said Maimunah, who was registered as a merchant who received the social assistance.

The distribution of cooking oil BLT was previously instructed by President Jokowi in a plenary cabinet meeting on April 5 as a step by the government to help the community deal with the situation of scarcity and spikes in cooking oil prices on the market.

Previously, the Attorney General's Office named four suspects in the alleged case of granting export permit facilities for crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives, including cooking oil, from January 2021 to March 2022 which caused a shortage of cooking oil.

Then on Friday, April 22, the President announced a ban on exports of cooking oil and its raw materials which will be in effect starting Thursday, April 24 for an undetermined time limit.