By Rivaldi Adrian )*
The government continues to accelerate the distribution of Cash Direct Assistance (BLT BBM) by cooperating with several related institutions. All improvements have been made to ensure that the assistance is right on target, appreciation is very well deserved for the success of the program.
Since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, plus some countries have not fully recovered after being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, the global economy has become increasingly uncertain. This caused several basic needs and commodities to experience an extraordinary price spike.
It is undeniable, it turns out that the impact is also felt directly in Indonesia, because there is a shortage of world oil supplies, the price has skyrocketed. So far, the Indonesian government itself continues to provide fuel subsidies to the community with the aim of easing the burden on the people.
However, with the increasingly uncertain condition of the world economy, even developed countries have to face inflation and recession, the national economy is also being threatened. Even the data shows, in 2022 alone there has been an increase of up to about three times from the management of the State Budget just to be able to provide the fuel subsidy, which previously was worth Rp 152 trillion and continues to swell to Rp 502 trillion.
This clearly makes the state budget borne by the state very burdened. Moreover, in fact the subsidy policy carried out by the government is not at all on target because 70 percent of it is actually enjoyed by the wealthy.
So it is very reasonable that the government itself has reallocated the state budget by enacting a policy of adjusting fuel prices. But not only that, but the government also provides distribution of social support to affected communities so that the use of the APBN can really be much more targeted to help the underprivileged.
The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo himself emphasized that the government would prepare BLT BBM for around 20.65 million vulnerable people with a prepared budget of Rp 12.4 trillion. Coupled with the distribution of Wage Subsidy Assistance for workers whose salaries are below Rp. 3.5 million with a budget prepared by the state of up to Rp. 9.6 trillion. The distribution of all social assistance has started since September 2022 in a period of four months in stages.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Tri Rismaharini gave a report, that it was recorded that since September 16, 2022 alone, PT Pos Indonesia has succeeded in distributing BLT BBM to 12,701,985 beneficiaries in 482 regencies and cities. For future targets, the Minister of Social Affairs said that this week the distribution of BLT BBM to the community must reach 90 percent of the target, or as many as 18,585,000 beneficiary families.
Even to continue to accelerate the distribution of BLT BBM to the community, the Ministry of Social Affairs continues to collaborate with several other parties such as the Directorate General of Dukcapil, Ministry of Home Affairs to be able to distribute BLT BBM to areas that are difficult to access. PT Pos Indonesia has also prepared a special aircraft so that all plans for accelerating the distribution of BLT are right on target.
Furthermore, Social Minister Risma admitted that the Ministry of Social Affairs received an additional budget of more than Rp. 400 billion which is planned to be used for social assistance to orphans with a target of 946,863 recipients and will be distributed in December with the amount of Rp. 200 thousand per child.
It’s not enough just to get there, but the former Mayor of Surabaya has a suggestion that there should also be social support specifically for single elderly people over 80 years of age and assistance to people with disabilities with a target recipient of up to 334,011 elderly people.
On the other hand, appreciation for the entire government’s performance, including the efforts to continue to accelerate the distribution of BLT BBM, came from Public Policy Observer, Sirojudin Abbas. He stated that there have been many improvements made by the government in the entire BLT BBM distribution scheme.
Even when compared to how the distribution of BLT during the COVID-19 period, according to Abbas, the current BLT BBM distribution scheme is much better. The reason is that the government continues to try very hard to ensure that the distribution can be done quickly and on time. Furthermore, he emphasized that all these efforts are concrete evidence from the government that continues to side with the needs of the people. The observer also appealed to all people to participate in giving appreciation and supporting all the efforts that have been made by the government so far to continue to maintain national fiscal resilience.
So, there is no need to doubt how the performance of the government and various efforts to continue to make improvements so that the distribution of BLT BBM can be really fast and on target. All relevant institutions that have contributed to the success of the program cannot be underestimated, because they have played a major role in maintaining people’s purchasing power in the midst of an uncertain global economic onslaught.
)* The author is a contributor to the Nusantara Reading Room
