Social Minister Struggling For Improvement Of PKH Companion Status Equivalent To ASN

Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini answered reporters' questions regarding the distribution of social assistance to the 3T area which had been delayed, at the DPR Senayan complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (7/11/2023). (ANTARA/M Riezko Bima Elko P)

JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini emphasized that his institution continues to fight for an increase in the status of assistants to the pre-health welfare community for the Family Hope Program (PKH) to be equivalent to the state civil apparatus.

"One form is through recommendations to the Menpan-RB," said Minister Risma, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, November 10.

The Ministry of Social Affairs confirmed that the number of PKH assistant officers since 2019 has reached 36 thousand people spread throughout Indonesia.

According to him, the PKH assistant officers are still honorary, who are in the submission stage and then appointed as Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK).

The PPPK status is generally equivalent to ASN starting from the amount of salary per month and other benefits. However, one thing that distinguishes is related to pension funds.

"That's a policy in Menpan-RB that we are fighting for," he said.

PKH assistant officers have an important task as the spearhead of the Ministry of Social Affairs in supervising, fostering and directing the beneficiary communities living in the area and remote villages.

It's just that he admits, the number of accompanying teams has not been able to cover the entire pre-health welfare community, the number of which currently reaches 21 million beneficiary families.

"Revaluated and we continue to study regarding acceptance at the central level, later in the regions, which will definitely be open not only to those with a background in undergraduate education in social science," he said.

Previously, Social Observer from the University of Indonesia, Devie Rahmawati, said that a comprehensive effort was needed regarding the strengthening of the accompanying officer considering the great benefits of his duties and functions, especially in remote villages.

One of these benefits is to keep villagers who receive social assistance incentives from being caught in unofficial business capital loan services or moneylenders.

The reason is, the flow of corrugated social assistance funds with different types and amounts of value from the government is often given to moneylenders.

The funds were given by residents to moneylenders as the first guarantee to get a larger injection of business capital. Therefore, he considered the role of assistants important for good, because instead of using funds to meet basic needs, but because they were persuaded they were actually entangled in debt.*