Social Assistance for Indonesian Automotive Personnel Affected by COVID-19

BANDUNG (July 5, 2020) - A total of 1,000 packages of basic necessities from the Ministry of Social Affairs were distributed to Automotive Personnel affected by COVID-19. Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara accompanied by Director General of Social Empowerment Edi Suharto handed over the assistance at the Bandung Social Welfare Polytechnic.

The Minister of Social Affairs in his speech explained that the automotive industry is being affected and we need to help. "We provide this assistance because the automotive industry has been affected. It has been 4 months that there have been no events/activities at all and there is no income for them. What we can do is provide social assistance for people who work at events and are affected by COVID-19," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

Furthermore, the Minister of Social Affairs added that the social assistance had been distributed to several communities affected by COVID-19.

"So far, we have helped the arts community, mass organizations in the affected areas. Our job is to help the community according to our Tag Line, the Ministry of Social Affairs is PRESENT. Hopefully what we distribute can be useful and our lives can return to normal in the future," explained the Minister of Social Affairs.

This is one of the acceleration steps in meeting the needs of people affected by COVID-19. This is a form of state being present in the midst of society. Assistance will be given to technicians, welders, automotive mechanics through the Indonesian Automotive Personnel of West Java.

The Chief Executive of the Distribution of Social Assistance through Automotive Personnel, Oke Junjunan, felt felt glad and happy because he was trusted to distribute basic food social assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"We have made a coordinator to distribute this aid so that it is right on target, really those who are entitled to receive it, starting from the NIK and our administration follows the rules from the Ministry. We are ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Social Affairs to collaborate with Tagana to places that are difficult to reach/ remote area," said Oke

Bandung Sunggoro, one of the former national motocross racers in the 80-90s, expressed his feelings about receiving social assistance for basic necessities from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"Thank God we got help, we no longer have racing events/activities during this pandemic. Now I'm just teaching at the circuit. We're just waiting for the time, hopefully this COVID-19 will be over soon," said Bandung.

The legendary mechanic, Yongi Setiadi or who is familiarly called Om Yong, said that this assistance was very valuable.

"This assistance is very good. There are many teams and whose mechanics' life are in difficult situation. Sometimes they have income and sometimes they don't. If there are events/activities, they get money. If there are no events, they may not get anything. But the path of life must go on. With this assistance, hopefully it can help," said Yongi.

Also present at the event were the Director General of Social Protection and Security, the Director General of Poverty Handling, the Mayor of Cimahi, the Head of the Educational Research and Social Counseling Agency, the Technical Personnel of the Minister of Social Affairs for Social Protection and Security, the Technical Personnel of the Directorate of PSPKKM, the Chairman of the West Java Indonesian Motorcycle Association. Head of Sub-Directorate of LKS, Chancellors and Lecturers at the Bandung Social Welfare Polytechnic.