Minister of Social Affairs and the Business Discuss Caring for Remote Indigenous Communities

JAKARTA (February 12, 2020) - Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara encourages the Business together with the government to participate in the long-term Remote Indigenous Community (KAT) Empowerment program. This was conveyed at the Remote Indigenous Community Empowerment Meeting entitled "Together Present to Build the Country, Caring for Remote Indigenous Communities" at the Harris Vertu Hotel, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (11/02).

"The number of KATs recorded by us is now 150,222 households. This certainly requires synergy between the government and the business, for long-term program synergies such as infrastructure, schools, clean water facilities, and agricultural infrastructure," said Minister Ari.

In Presidential Regulation No. 186 of 2014, KAT is a group of people in certain numbers who are bound by geographical, economic, and/or socio-cultural unity, as well as poor, remote, and/or socio-economically vulnerable. Meanwhile, KAT social empowerment is intended to develop the independence of KAT residents to be able to fulfill their basic needs.

The Minister said the Ministry of Social Affairs from year to year continues to carry out KAT social empowerment programs by providing basic social services in the form of settlement development, life insurance assistance, environmental arrangement, and strengthening social harmony.

According to him, this activity has not been sufficient to fulfill the needs of KAT residents due to budget constraints aimed at meeting basic needs and service coverage in limited areas.

"Likewise, the problems of KAT residents such as remoteness but also related to poverty, human rights, availability of basic needs, issues of marginalization, inequality, justice, equitable development, education, health, land issues (ulayat), environmental degradation to the issue of difficulty in outreach areas will be overcome by involving other parties, be it local governments, the private sector, social welfare institutions or the world of education," said the Minister.

Therefore, the Minister of Social Affairs invites the participation of more businesses in the KAT empowerment program.   The Ministry of Social Affairs does not receive direct assistance but the business is welcome to implement it in its own way. The Ministry of Social Affairs provides data on the distribution of KAT locations and needs. The distribution of assistance can be done through existing mechanisms in each institution, namely through foundations owned by companies or in collaboration with trusted local social welfare institutions.

Director General of Social Empowerment Pepen Nazaruddin said that the Ministry of Social Affairs has carried out social empowerment for no less than 8,427 families of KAT residents. Basic services have been provided, but several sectors of KAT residents' needs that are beyond the reach of the Ministry of Social Affairs such as environmental facilities, roads, health facilities, education, civil rights, and the economy are important notes to follow up.

"This meeting is expected to inventory various KAT empowerment activities that can be synergized by the government, private sector, Social Welfare Institutions (LKS), as well as Social Institutions so that we have a synergy roadmap for KAT social empowerment for 2020 to 2021," said Pepen.

Also attending the event were Director General of Social Rehabilitation Edi Suharto, Head of BP3S Syahabuddin, Ministerial Technical Team Restu Hapsari, Bank Leaders who are members of the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) namely BNI, BRI, Mandiri and BTN, Social Services, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum, KAT Expert Forum, Social Organizations, Social Welfare Institutions throughout Indonesia, representatives of KAT residents, businesses / private companies that hold Free Prize Draws and also foundations that hold Money and Goods Collections.

Also present were private companies that have provided assistance in the KAT empowerment program, namely PT Indomarco Prismatama Tbk (Indomaret), SKK Migas, PT Petrochina International Jabung Ltd, PT Adaro Energy Tbk, PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), and PT Sinar Mas, in the form of clean water and MCK facilities in several KAT locations either from raising community donations or from CSR programs.

The meeting was preceded by testimonials and experiences in implementing KAT assistance and empowerment by a figure who is a pioneer and practitioner of alternative education for alienated and remote communities in Indonesia, Saur Marlina Manurung, S.Ant or commonly called Butet Manurung, who emphasized the need to align empowerment programs with local wisdom.

At the end of the event, an inventory of activities agreed upon by the business for the expansion of KAT activities in several locations that will be implemented in 2020 and 2021 was compiled.

Public Relations Bureau

Ministry of Social Affairs RI