By: Aulia Hawa )*
The government has provided a lot of assistance to the community during the pandemic. They also feel satisfied because BAnsos is very useful in times of crisis as a result of the Corona virus.
The Covid pandemic has caused many victims, ranging from physically to mentally ill. Those who feel stressed, on average, fall down because their financial conditions are shaky, because of the corona. This little virus made the world go up and the economy plummeted, people’s purchasing power fell, and many companies cut their salaries.
The government does not want its people to suffer during a pandemic, and provides various assistance, so that they can survive without having to frantically look for ways to survive while seeking halal sustenance. Help is very meaningful because it is not seen from the nominal, but from the attention. This means that the government does not want its citizens to be depressed because of financial difficulties.
The majority (53%) of the people are satisfied with the assistance provided by the government. This is the result of a survey by Ipsos, a global survey agency. The most favored by the community are pre-employment programs, electricity subsidies, and internet quota subsidies. So it is not only social assistance that is expected by civilians, but also other forms of assistance.
Assistance from the government is indeed very helpful during the pandemic. The pre-employment program is not just a card, but really an innovation so that people can acquire new skills. By having a pre-employment card, they are not only given cash , but also skills . So that what is given is the fishing rod, not just the fish, and in accordance with President Jokowi’s motto: work, work, and work.
Many people have enjoyed the pre-employment card assistance and they are happy because this program has been opened in many waves, so that if you don’t pass, you can register again in the next period. By opening many waves, it means that more people have new skills . So that it can make it capital for entrepreneurship and work without having to be confused about where to apply for work.
The people are also very grateful for the electricity subsidy, especially at the beginning of this assistance there was free housing provided that it had 450 KWH of power and a 50% discount if the power was 900 KWH. As for 2021, there is no free but there is still a discount. So that it does not burden people to pay expensive electricity bills.
In addition, internet quota subsidies are also very beneficial, especially for housewives. They can smoothly accompany their children to online school without being confused about having to buy credit again and again, and not everyone is strong enough to pay wifi bills. Quota subsidies make online learning smoother.
Moreover, the internet quota subsidy will be extended until November 2021, so that children who are still studying at home can make good use of it. Students also enjoy this subsidy and they can study online smoothly. Knowledge can be obtained even if you are in your hometown.
Various assistance from the government shows the concern of President Jokowi and his staff, because they are aware that the people really need help. The pandemic really shattered the financial condition of many people, so they were confused about how to survive. If there is social assistance and other assistance from the government, it will be very grateful.
People are happy and satisfied because the government continues to help, not only with basic food packages but also with other programs, such as subsidized internet quotas, pre-employment cards, and discounted electricity bills. During the pandemic, civilians are still able to survive thanks to a lot of help from the government.
)* The author is a citizen living in Bogor