Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Continues to Support Social Affairs Minister Risma's Breakthrough Programs

MALANG (January 20, 2023) – Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini invited Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani to have a dialogue with the beneficiaries of the integrated poverty management program in Greater Malang. Present at the Pujon District Hall in the morning, the two of them immediately chatted with children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and other recipients of social assistance.

The Minister of Social Affairs thought about each attending beneficiary. One of them is a multipurpose wheelchair receiver. "This wheelchair was designed by a disabled person. Previously he couldn't stand, now he can," said the Minister of Social Affairs, who was replied with a nod by the Minister of Finance.

The atmosphere of dialogue became more intimate when the two of them greeted the elderly who were the recipients of the single elderly food program. Using Javanese, the two ministers asked for advice to be healthy and beautiful elderly.

In her statement to the media crew, the Minister of Social Affairs said that the joint working visit with the Minister of Finance was a public education regarding the use of the budget carried out by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"Thankfully, this morning the Minister of Finance was able to see the Ministry of Social Affairs' programs. The first program is food assistance, which was launched last December (2022) for the elderly. The second program is assistance for orphans," she said at the Pujon District Hall, Jalan Brigjen Abdul Manan No 8, Jurangrejo, Pandesari, Pujon, Malang Regency, Friday (20/1).

Not only elderly food assistance and orphans assistance, but the Ministry of Social Affairs also implements integrated poverty management programs, namely Nusantara Economic Heroes (PENA), Integrated Prosperous Homes, and the Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) program.

The Minister of Finance revealed that in 2022, the Ministry of Social Affairs is proposing an additional budget to the Ministry of Finance for food assistance for the elderly and persons with disabilities.

"Today, I was invited by Mrs. Risma to see several social assistance programs developed by her. Mrs. Risma's approach is empowering people to be more economically independent, so it was very different," said Sri Mulyani.

The Finance Minister appreciated the poverty alleviation efforts performed by the Ministry of Social Affairs. "We will support what the Ministry of Social Affairs is doing because Mrs. Risma always sees (all problems) from poverty, disability, and empowerment into one package of activities. She always uses the government's social assistance budget to assist the necessary target and empower them," she said.

The former Managing Director of the World Bank also gave a thumbs up to the collaboration carried out by the Minister of Social Affairs with Bank Indonesia and the DPR RI, in this case, Member of the DPR RI Andreas Eddy Susetyo.

"Earlier, several PENA programs were presented, a combination of the State Budget and Bank Indonesia with Mr. Andreas as a member of the DPR. He assured that we can all collaborate so that the public gets maximum benefits," said the Minister of Finance.

According to the Finance Minister, the State Budges aims to assist small communities needing state assistance. She hopes there will be synergy between various stakeholders, especially the local governments, business actors, and other stakeholders. Thus, the poor people escaped impoverishment as they got a decent living.

"This is a real manifestation of our money because the taxes we have paid so far are coming back to us as well," Sri said.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is currently focusing on increasing the independence of Beneficiary Families (KPM). For example, the PENA program is for productive-aged KPM who have businesses and increase their income, achieving social and economic independence. In 2022, 5,209 KPMs will receive PENA, with details of 238 extremely poor KPM, and 4,971 poor KPM. Meanwhile, in Greater Malang, there are 443 KPM.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also presents the Integrated Prosperous House program, a house rehabilitation assistance program for poor people who have uninhabitable houses, such as dirt floors, walls, or roofs made of easily damaged materials, not having proper toilets, or building area of ​​less than 7.2 m² per person. The Integrated Prosperous House Program is integrated with the PENA (for business) and ATENSI (house contents and other needs) programs so that KPM is more empowered. In 2022, 10,600 KPM will receive the Integrated Prosperous House program.

In addition, the Minister of Social Affairs initiated ATENSI Orphan (YAPI) Assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic for children (not yet 18 years old) whose parents died due to COVID-19. Developed in 2022, the program provides care assistance to non-Covid YAPI who are poor, vulnerable, or underprivileged. The value of YAPI assistance is IDR200,000 per month per person. In 2022, there were 23,092 YAPI COVID-19 Assistance recipients and 378,755 YAPI non-Covid recipients. Meanwhile, in Malang Regency, there were 1,372 children.

The food assistance program for single and disabled elderly was launched in December 2022. The program provides food for two times a day in one delivery. In 2022, there were 262,745 single elderly recipients from 30 provinces and 277 regencies/cities.

Meanwhile, persons with disabilities food assistance was distributed to 35,459 beneficiaries in 24 provinces and 171 regencies/cities through 1,434 Community Groups (Pokmas).

Moreover, the Ministry of Social Affairs also has ATENSI assistance for the Social Welfare Services for Persons in Need who passed the assessment. In Malang Regency, 30 people received ATENSI for persons with disabilities, namely eight persons with visual disabilities, eight persons with physical disabilities, nine persons with intellectual disabilities, four persons with hearing and speech sensory disabilities, and an elderly.

The ATENSI assistance includes 30 entrepreneurial assistance packages, eight adaptive walking sticks, two adaptive wheelchairs, three walkers, a standard wheelchair, an electric wheelchair, a multipurpose/standing wheelchair, two units of hearing aids, and two commercial tricycles.

During the two Ministers' visit to Malang, they also came to the house of Mrs. Rumaiyah, KPM of the PENA program, and the Integrated Prosperous House located in Ngabab Village, Pujon District, Malang Regency.

The Ministers' working visit to Malang was accompanied by the Indonesian House of Representatives Andreas Eddy Susetyo, Malang Regent H M Sanusi, Malang Deputy Regent Didik Gatot Subroto, and Acting Mayor of Batu Aries Agung Paewai, representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for PMK, Bank Indonesia, Directorate General of Budget, Ministry of Finance, Bappenas, PT. Pos Indonesia East Java Branch Office, Malang Regency Social Service, and Pujon Subdistrict Head.

Public Relations Bureau

The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs