Social Affairs Minister Entertains and Distributes Aid for North Coast Resident

PEKALONGAN (February 26, 2020) – In the middle of extreme weather that is still hitting several areas in Indonesia, the Minister of Social Affairs Minister Juliari P. Batubara wants to ensure that residents affected by floods are handled properly. For this purpose, the Minister of Social Affairs checked the evacuation points and greeted and distributed aid to affected residents in three areas in Central Java.

At every location he visited, the Minister of Social Affairs Minister always entertained people, motivated them to be patient and steadfast, and of course distributed aid to ease their burden. In the evacuation tents, the Minister of Social Affairs Minister invited residents to be happy and sing.

Arriving at the Evacuation and Emergency Response Post at the Hoegeng Stadium, Pekalongan City, Wednesday (26/2/2020) morning, the Minister of Social Affairs Minister was greeted with chants of  “Selamat Datang” by dozens of child evacuees. Here, the Minister of Social Affairs Minister  met with the Black Steel Knights, and several volunteers wearing superhero outfits. Together, entertain evacuees.

Inside the tent, the Minister of Social Affairs took time to dance with the children. To the children and evacuees, the Minister of Social Affairs asked them to be patient and pray. “How long have you been here? Are you happy here or at home? Stay steadfast and patient. And let's pray, that this disaster will soon pass," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

The Minister of Social Affairs was present accompanied by the Mayor of Pekalongan City M Saelany Machfudz, the Head of the Pekalongan City Police AKBP Egy Adrian Suez, the Head of the Pekalongan City District Prosecutor's Office Zainul Arifin and other Forkompimda representatives. The Minister of Social Affairs then inspected the public kitchen and the evacuees in the Hoegeng Stadium building.

"There are 1,776 residents affected by the floods here. So I have to make sure residents affected by flooding are handled properly. I also submitted assistance earlier, hopefully enough. In principle, whatever the needs of the evacuees, we will provide them," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

On the occasion in Pekalongan City, the Social Affairs Minister handed over aid symbolically. Assistance in the form of rice worth IDR.705.272.500, logistical assistance for natural disasters IDR.324.036.966, and cleaning equipment IDR.198.000.000, bringing the total assistance to IDR.1.227.309.466.

Apart from Pekalongan City, the Minister of Social Affairs also greeted evacuees in Pekalongan Regency and Pemalang Regency. After leaving the Hoegeng Stadium, the Minister of Social Affairs and his entourage then headed to the next location, namely the evacuation post at the PT. Dupantex Factory Mosque, Tirto District, Pekalongan Regency.

On that occasion, the Minister of Social Affairs took the time to play with the evacuees' children affected by the floods. even singing along and handing out prizes. The children affected by the floods looked very enthusiastic and felt comforted.

“I’m here representing the central government. The point is I'm here to give help. Because according to President Joko Widodo's directives, the state must be present when its citizens are affected by a disaster, in this case, a flood disaster. I need to ensure that the needs of the evacuees in Pekalongan Regency are met," said Minister of Social Affairs Juliari.

To Dupantex, the Minister of Social Affairs expressed his appreciation for providing a place for evacuees, and also for helping ease the burden on evacuees. On that occasion, the Minister of Social Affairs distributed a total of IDR.476.561.054. namely consisting of Phase 1 Emergency Response Logistics Assistance worth IDR.28.313.760, and Phase 2 Emergency Response Logistics Assistance of IDR.448.247.294.

"Among the assistance in the form of blankets, mattresses, food, and ready-to-eat side dishes. Hopefully, it will be useful," said the Minister of Social Affairs. In Ulujami District, Pemalang Regency, Central Java, the Minister of Social Affairs also greeted and motivated the evacuees to remain patient and steadfast. "Hopefully the disaster will soon pass, and we can all do our activities as usual," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

Furthermore, the Minister of Social Affairs handed over assistance in Pemalang Regency in the form of Phase 1 Emergency Response Logistics assistance in the amount of IDR.23.867.036. and Phase 2 Emergency Response Logistics Assistance in the amount of IDR.296.625.294. So that the total assistance is IDR.320.492.330.

Phase 1 Emergency Response Logistics is worth IDR.23.867.036, and Phase 2 Emergency Response Logistics is worth IDR.448.247.294. So that the total assistance for Pemalang Regency was IDR.472.114.330.

Assistance included ready-to-eat food and other needs such as blankets, mattresses, and tents to support flood-affected handling in Pemalang Regency.

At each disaster post, the Minister of Social Affairs also deployed Disaster Voluntary Worker (Tagana) and set up shared kitchens to meet the daily food needs of the flood victims. "The point is that we are helping to ease the burden on our brothers and sisters who are affected by the floods," said the Minister of Social Affairs. He hopes that the local government is more mature in anticipating flood disasters.

Apart from the three cities already scheduled earlier, at the end of the working visit, the Minister of Social Affairs decided to greet evacuees in Karang Linggar Village, Teluk Jambe Barat District, Karawang Regency. The Minister of Social Affairs walked around residents' houses in a rubber boat accompanied by the Director General of Social Security and Protection Harry Hikmat and the Regent of Karawang, Cellica Nurrachadiana.

Here, the Minister of Social Affairs symbolically hands over aid, then distributes biscuits to children in evacuation. The Minister of Social Affairs distributed emergency response logistical assistance for phase 1 of IDR.38.184.300, and emergency response logistical assistance for phase 2 of IDR.251.938.784 so that the total assistance is IDR.290.123.084.

Bureau of Public Relations

Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs