Minister of Social Affairs Visits Medan City, Ensures BST is Received by KPM Affected by COVID-19

MEDAN (November 13, 2020) - The distribution of Cash Social Assistance (BST) in Medan City has entered phase 8. During his working visit to North Sumatra Province, Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara directly observed the implementation of BST distribution at the Medan Post Office on Jalan Pos No. 1 Kesawan, Medan Bar District, Medan City.

Present with the Minister of Social Affairs including the Director General of Poverty Handling, Asep Sasa Purnama; Director General of Social Protection and Security, Pepen Nazarudin; Director General of Social Rehabilitation, Harry Hikmat; Senior Advisor to the Minister of Social Affairs for Accessibility, Sonny W. Manalu; enior Advisor to the Minister of Social Affairs for Change and Social Dynamics, Adhy Karyono; and Secretary General of PFM, Nurul Farijati.

The visit of the Minister of Social Affairs was also welcomed by 20 Family Beneficiaries (KPM) of BST from Babura Village, Medan Baru District, Medan City, meanwhile the number of KPM BST in Medan City is 48,092 KPM.

Accompanied by the President Director of PT Pos Indonesia, Faizal Rochmad Djoemadi and the Director of Network and Financial Services of PT Pos Indonesia, Charles Sitorus, the Minister of Social Affairs symbolically handed over BST to 3 KPM namely Nursanti (54), Rabekka Br. Simare Mare (57), and Rozi Yanti (53).

"Thankfully we can be assisted," said Rozi Yanti. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mother of 4 children still needed money for her 2 school-age children. Despite school holidays, she still has to pay the school fees for her two children, while her husband's income as a driver has decreased. For this reason, Rozi Yanti feels that the assistance provided by the Government is beneficial for her family's life.

The BST launched by the Government through the Ministry of Social Affairs is an instruction from the President in an effort to help the community face the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the BST index distributed in stages 1 to stage 3 is Rp600,000. In the next six stages, the index was lowered to Rp300,000 as the economy gradually improved and the support of other social protection programs.

At the end of 2020, BST entered the last stage of distribution, namely stage 9. “In 2021, BST is allocated to continue to be distributed for the first 6 months with an index of Rp200,000 per KPM. However, the size of the index is still being reviewed,” explained the Minister of Social Affairs.

PT Pos Indonesia also stated its readiness as a BST distributor. “BST would not exist without the President's instructions. We are ready to carry out the distribution with the human resources we have," said Faizal Rochmad Djoemadi.

After seeing the BST disbursement process by the KPM present, the Minister of Social Affairs had the opportunity to see an exhibition of KUBE products from Medan City at the same location. The event, which took place with standard health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, was attended by the Head of Social Services. North Sumatra Province, H. Rozali and Head of Medan City Social Office, Endar Sutan Lubis.