Anticipating Queues, DKI Provincial Government Has Added Locations For Distributing Cheap Food To Online Queues

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Head of the DKI Jakarta Food Security, Maritime and Agriculture Service, Suharini Eliawati, explained the efforts being made to solve the problem of long queues of residents buying cheap or subsidized food.

Suharini said that the DKI Provincial Government had gradually increased distribution locations for subsidized food since mid-September.

"Additional distribution locations include Cilincing, Kebon Bawang and East Pademangan markets," said Suharini in a short message, Wednesday, October 11.

Then, a mechanism for taking queue numbers online is also carried out to purchase cheap food the next day at the selected distribution location.

"On the second Sunday of October 2023, the queue to purchase subsidized food at Perumda Pasar Jaya locations will be done online using KK and KTP numbers," said Suharini.

Apart from that, there is a sales mechanism with a pick-up and drop-off mechanism to companies with a minimum of 100 employees which will be carried out by Perumda Pasar Jaya.

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

Suhud revealed this in his interruption during the plenary meeting for the signing of the MoU on the APBD General Policy Draft document and the Provisional Budget Ceiling and Priority Draft for the DKI Jakarta Provincial APBD for Fiscal Year 2024.

Suhud revealed that this extortion was carried out by fixing prices on residents who wanted to be first in line to buy cheap food.

Suhud then played the voice recording on his cellphone and brought the recorded voice closer to the microphone so that the whole room could hear it.

In the recording, an unnamed resident admitted that he was offered to pay IDR 50 thousand to get in the front line to buy cheap basic necessities.

Meanwhile, the price set at the back of the queue is IDR 20 thousand. Residents who pay this extortion do not need to queue at the location because the extortionist places stones or sandals at their queue number.

"That's the leadership, the reality on the ground. I hope the Acting Governor will immediately fix the mess in the distribution of food subsidies for the community," said Suhud 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.

"They said there was extortion, I also checked. Who is the extortion? I will take action against the authorities," said Heru after the plenary meeting at the DKI Jakarta DPRD building.

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

Heru admitted that he was aware of the overflowing queues for this cheap food program. Because of this, Heru admitted that he would summon the Food, Maritime and Agricultural Security Service (DKPKP) along with food BUMDs to resolve this problem.

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