Food Queue Solutions In Jakarta, DKI Provincial Government Promises To Add Cheap Food Distribution Locations

Ilustri for ANTARA Basic Necessities)

Head of the DKI Jakarta Food, Maritime and Agriculture Security Service, Suharini Eliawati, said that her party had added subsidized food distribution locations in Jakarta.

This was decided in order to minimize the accumulation of queues for residents who would buy cheap food for hours. The addition of this point is also a way to eradicate extortion caused by the booming queues.

"It is planned to add distribution locations to reduce the buildup of masses or queues," said Suharini in a short message, Thursday, September 21.

On the other hand, the DKI Provincial Government will also intensify socialization to beneficiaries through an announcement that is installed and contains information on service schedules, distribution of queue numbers, and the time of the transaction provided.

"Division of queue numbers from 07.00 to 08.00 WIB. Meanwhile, the implementation of witness tests starts at 09.00 to 16.00 WIB," he said.

Previously, member of the PKS faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Suhud Alynudin, complained about the practice of extortion in the implementation of the cheap food subsidy program held by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government in Koja District, North Jakarta.

This was revealed by Suhud in his interruption during the plenary meeting of the signing of the MoU for the draft General Policy of the APBD as well as the Priority Draft and Temporary Budget Ceiling of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Budget for the 2024 Fiscal Year.

Suhud explained that this extortion was carried out by setting prices for residents who wanted to get queues first in buying these cheap foods.

Suhud then played the voice recording on his cellphone and brought the sound closer to the microphone so that it could be heard throughout the room.

In the recording, an unnamed resident admitted that he was offered Rp. 50,000 to be able to get a queue for cheap food purchases in the front row.

Meanwhile, the back line is set at a price of Rp. 20,000. Residents who pay extortion do not need to queue at the location because extortionists place stones or sandals in their queue numbers.

"That's leadership, reality on the ground. I hope the Acting Governor will immediately fix the chaotic distribution of food subsidies for the community," said the temperature on Monday, September 18.

Responding to this, the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono admitted that he would follow up on complaints of extortion in the implementation of the food subsidy program that occurred in Koja District, North Jakarta.

"He said there was extortion, I also checked. Who is extortion. If my officers act," said Heru after a plenary meeting at the DKI Jakarta DPRD building.

This extortion is said to have emerged because of the dense queues of residents who want to buy cheap food. In fact, it was reported that residents came to the location and started queuing since 3 am. Meanwhile, the sale of subsidized food only opened at 8 am.

Heru admitted that he was aware of the booming queues for this cheap food program. Therefore, Heru admitted that he would summon the Food, Maritime and Agricultural Security Service (DKPKP) and the food BUMD to solve this problem.

"That's a good input, it's not just in Koja, yesterday it was also in several places. Maybe the public's interest is too high. But later, I'll call the KPKP Service and everything," explained Heru.