The Government Takes Firm Action to Block Social Assistance Accounts Used for Online Gambling
By: Astrid Widia)*
The government has taken decisive action by blocking social assistance accounts proven to be used for online gambling. This measure not only serves as a strong warning against misuse of state funds, but also serves as a moral imperative for all social assistance recipients to reaffirm their primary purpose: protecting poor families from the clutches of poverty and ensuring their survival. In a situation where the state is striving to allocate funds for the welfare of the people, any misconduct cannot be tolerated.
The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs is currently conducting a comprehensive validation of social assistance recipient data. Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, emphasized that the government is not reducing the national aid amount. Instead, it is redirecting aid to more deserving individuals after indications of misuse were discovered.
Analysis by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) even revealed that approximately six hundred thousand social assistance recipients were suspected of engaging in online gambling. This fact clearly shocked the public and raised significant questions about how some recipients could so easily misuse funds intended to support basic needs.
Gus Ipul explained that the government had verified the data of twelve million social assistance recipients. Of that number, approximately two million were declared ineligible. Based on joint checks with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and banks, disbursements of more than three hundred thousand recipients had been stopped. He emphasized that the validation process would not stop at that figure but would be continuously updated to ensure that social assistance was properly targeted.
Furthermore, Gus Ipul stated that recipients suspected of online gambling still have a chance to regain their rights, provided they undergo re-registration and rigorous verification. The government is providing space for those proven to be in genuine need of assistance, as it is possible that some recipients are simply victims or being exploited by others.
He also confirmed that the discontinued aid would not be reduced in value, but would instead be redirected to those in deciles one and two, the most economically vulnerable groups. This way, no rights of the poor would be lost, only transferred to those more deserving.
This firm policy is not only implemented at the central level but also at the regional level. The Bangka Regency Social Services Agency, through its Head, Baharudin Bafa, confirmed that his agency had stopped distributing social assistance to five Sungailiat residents suspected of using Family Hope Program funds for online gambling. According to Baharudin Bafa, blocking the recipients’ accounts constitutes punishment and should be understood as a strong message to ensure the aid is used for its intended purpose, namely to improve the community’s socioeconomic status.
Despite this, Baharudin Bafa remains open to reactivation, provided recipients demonstrate a concrete commitment to stop online gambling practices. He believes this step is a learning experience for recipients, ensuring they understand that social assistance cannot be treated as discretionary funds. The five residents suspected of involvement are from Sungailiat District, but he emphasized the possibility of similar cases being found in seven other districts in Bangka Regency. He emphasized that the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has the authority to trace money flows, making this a serious matter.
A similar case also occurred in Malang City. Donny Sandito, Head of the Malang City Social Services Agency (P3AP2KB), revealed that approximately 4,000 residents had been removed from the social assistance recipient list. Sandito explained that the Ministry of Social Affairs had removed the data of these 4,000 residents, although it has not been confirmed whether all of them were suspected of online gambling. He emphasized that a re-verification process is ongoing to ensure that social assistance is being properly targeted.
Donny added that it’s likely that some of the omitted recipients were due to categorization errors, such as individuals considered well-off but still listed as aid recipients. He stated that social assistance data is drawn from various sources, including the Integrated Social Welfare Data, the National Development Planning Agency’s socioeconomic registry, and data on the acceleration of extreme poverty eradication from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture. Therefore, data synchronization is essential to ensure that no poor individuals are missed.
He also explained that eligible recipients who are not on the list can still reapply through the Ministry of Social Affairs’ official website or through PKH officers in the field. Donny emphasized the importance of village meetings to correct data and ground checks to ensure the accuracy of beneficiary lists.
Looking at the string of cases in various regions, it’s clear that the policy of blocking social assistance accounts used for online gambling is a national strategy that must be supported. The state cannot afford to succumb to the misuse of aid, especially when it involves public funds intended to protect the poor.
However, the government’s firmness must also be balanced with education and support. Social assistance recipients need to be made to understand that this assistance is a shared responsibility within the family and community. Online gambling not only harms individuals but also cuts off families’ opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty.
The government has demonstrated decisiveness by blocking misused accounts, and now it’s the public’s turn to commit to safeguarding this trust. Social assistance is not a consumptive fund, but rather the state’s hope for building family resilience and strengthening social justice within the nation.
)* The author is a contributor to Jendela Baca Nusantara
