Minister of Social Affairs Determines to Strengthen Good Governance

JAKARTA (November 4, 2019) - Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara visited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office to meet with the leadership of the anti-corruption agency. The Minister of Social Affairs stated his commitment to working with the KPK to create a good and clean government.

For this reason, the Minister of Social Affairs opened himself up to work with the KPK as part of the corruption prevention program. "We are determined and serious to ensure that budget management in ministries is transparent and accountable. So please KPK oversee our budget management, and provide recommendations if necessary," said the Minister of Social Affairs, at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Monday (04/11/2019).

On this occasion, present to accompany the Minister of Social Affairs were Secretary General Hartono Laras, Director General of Social Empowerment Pepen Nazaruddin, Director General of Social Rehabilitation Edi Suharto, Director General of Poor Handling Andi ZA Dulung, Director General of Social Protection and Security Harry Hikmat, and Inspector General Dadang Iskandar.

Also present were senior advisor of minister’s for Social Accessibility Sonny W. Manalu, Head of the Social Welfare Integrated Data Center (Pusdatin Kesos) Said Mirza Pahlevi, and Head of the Finance Bureau Mira Riyati Kurniasih. From the Corruption Eradication Commission, the leadership was present, namely KPK Chairman Agus Rahardjo, Deputy Chairperson Laode Muhammad Syarif, and Deputy Chairperson Saut Situmorang.

On this occasion, the Minister of Social Affairs expressed his determination to uphold good governance. One of the shopping posts at the Ministry of Social Affairs that both the Minister of Social Affairs and the Corruption Eradication Commission deemed necessary to pay attention to the distribution post for social assistance.

"The target of social assistance recipients must be based on valid data. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs is currently continuing to strengthen the validity of the data," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

The Minister of Social Affairs also pays serious attention to the validity of the data, with the consideration that the Social Welfare Integrated Data (DTKS) will be the basis of reference for the government's plan to provide subsidies for the poorest layers of society. For example, LPG subsidies, fertilizer subsidies, electricity subsidies, education subsidies, health subsidies, and so on.

"So our clients are ministries and other institutions. Our data is used as the basis for subsidy policies for the less fortunate," said the Minister of Social Affairs. Apart from organizing data management, the Minister of Social Affairs is also considering strengthening cooperation with the KPK.

One of the things that emerged at this meeting was that the Ministry of Social Affairs asked the KPK to be included as one of the indicators in the Monitoring Center for Prevention (MCP). Namely an online service-based corruption prevention application at the KPK.

"I saw earlier that the Ministry of Social Affairs had not included. So we asked that the Ministry of Social Affairs be included as one of the indicators," said the Minister of Social Affairs. In their statement, KPK leaders confirmed that there was an agreement so that the Ministry of Social Affairs would strengthen the validity of data on the underprivileged.

"Earlier, the Minister of Social Affairs explained the need to strengthen data validity. We suggest that the Ministry of Social Affairs use data based on NIK (Identification Number), to prevent budget inefficiencies in the distribution of social assistance," said Agus Rahardjo.

Based on this suggestion, the Minister of Social Affairs stated that he would immediately coordinate with the relevant ministries, in this case the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Acting head of Public Relations Bureaue

The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs

Sonny W Manalu