Three Fundamental Messages from the Director General of Social Rehabilitation Towards the Beginning of New Normal

BLITAR (June 4, 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs through the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation has accelerated the distribution of basic food and business capital assistance for the elderly, residents affected by COVID-19, and Beneficiaries Family (PM).

"After a night on a road trip, thank God we were able to arrive here with the task of the Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P Batubara to greet residents and accelerate the distribution of social assistance (bansos)," said Director General of Social Rehabilitation Harry Hikmat accompanied by Blitar Regent H Rijanto at the Pendopo. Ronggo Hadinegoro, Thursday (4/6/2020).

In this condition, said Harry, Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) were implemented, the traffic of people was restricted at both the district / city and provincial levels to cut off and suppress the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For humanitarian action, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Regent and his staff must be at the forefront by cooperating with each other in the field," Harry hoped.

Every citizen must be disciplined in following health protocols, such as wearing masks, washing hands, avoiding crowds, and maintaining social distance.

"Indeed, there is a new normal, but that does not mean you have to leave health protocols, you have to stay disciplined," said Harry

Especially for the elderly (seniors) as the group most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, so they need to stay at home and make health protocols as culture as well as identity.

"I think what must be understood is that the health protocol must become a culture in the community, even though there is a new normal," Harry hoped.

Furthermore, Harry emphasized that there are at least three lessons behind the COVID-19 pandemic that must be interpreted in everyday life.

First, always live a healthy life such as wearing a mask, getting used to washing your hands, and living a disciplined life. Second, staying productive --Work From Home (WFH) means having to be familiar with working with technology, such as virtual meetings.

"Third, back to home - returning home, gathering with family members, which could be that before the COVID-19 outbreak, family members found it difficult to get together because they were busy working and spending time on the road," said Harry.

Apart from all that, the Ministry of Social Affairs services have the principle of completeness for those who are marginalized, their rights are neglected, it is difficult to get out of their grip plus become victims of violence and trafficking in people so they can live independently and return to the midst of family and society.

"The services provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs are proof that the state is present in the midst of its people, especially for those who really need it," said Harry.

The social assistance given to the elderly is a form of state attention, one of which is felt by grandmother Samijah, 75, a resident of Bleduk RT 1 RW 02, Blitar.

"Alhamdulillah, for the assistance received, thank you Mr. President and the Minister of Social Affairs. The assistance is very useful for me who works as a farm laborer," he said, in soft Javanese.

Katirin's grandfather, 61, a resident of Bleduk, felt the same way, who was grateful to receive assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I feel very happy to receive this basic food assistance. Moreover, I now live alone with my wife and children and have a family, ”he said.

Before leaving the pavilion, Regent H Rijanto gave souvenirs and Ciprat batik to the Director General of Social Rehabilitation and Harry gave souvenirs, symbolically also being handed over a package of basic food assistance and capital assistance to the PM. A total of 50 basic food packages for PM and LKS Rondiyah; business capital assistance for 8 PM each with IDR 5 million, a total of IDR 40 million; 40 basic food packages for the elderly; as well as 10 basic food packages for residents affected by COVID-19. Also, medical equipment, in the form of 500 masks, 4 jerry cans of disinfectant, 4 jerry cans of hand sanitizer, 100 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 1 unit of disinfectant sprayer.

The visit was continued to the PPKS shelter which is managed by the Blitar Regency Social Service with a variety of creations in the form of skills for disabilities in the form of making ciprat batik. In fact, Harry even made splashed batik and wrote with a brush the words 'harry 20' on a piece of cloth accompanied by a person with a disability who was producing batik.

"At the PPKS shelter, skills were given in the form of making splashed batik with PMs with physical disabilities and People with Mental Disorders (ODGJ). If they are given medication, but there is no distraction, it will be difficult for them to recover, ”said H Romelan, Kadinsos Blitar Regency.

"We really appreciate the PPKS shelter with the skills of making batik ciprat and can be a pilot project in other places," said Harry.

Closing the activity in Blitar Regency, the Director General of Social Rehabilitation made a stop at Ketineung Restaurant (RM) which is "unique" not only for its owner and the location which is so beautiful with the atmosphere of trees and fish ponds. The owner of RM Ketineung is Mrs. Anna Enariah, 60 years old, a humanitarian activist who has crisscrossed various natural disaster locations in Indonesia bringing humanitarian assistance raised from the results of the RM business she manages.

"At RM Katineung, we don't just have to eat, but the owner, Mrs. Anna, is my older sister, and is often surprised because she has been reporting to various disaster locations in Indonesia," said Harry, tearyly.

As a form of support for the humanitarian action carried out by RM Ketineung, social assistance was distributed with 50 packages of groceries, 100 hand sanitizers, faceshield (PPE), disinfectant liquid, and 500 masks.

Present at the event, the Director for Elderly, Andi Hanindito; Head of Balai Mulya Jakarta, Juena Sitepu; Head of General Affairs, Herman Koswara; Assistant I for People's Welfare, Akhmad Husen; Ekbang Assistant II, Tuti Komariati; Head of the Manpower Office, Haris Susianto; Head of the Office of Women Empowerment Family Planning and Child Protection (PPKBP3A), Eka Purwanta.