TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has launched today, August 27, the first batch of wage subsidy (BSU) program. This assistance was provided to workers earning less than Rp5 million per month and are active members of state social insurance.

He said the stimulus was given to companies and workers who consistently paid the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) or BP Jamsostek until June 30, 2020. “This is granted as rewards,” said the president in a virtual conference, Thursday, August 27.

He reiterated that the fund would be disbursed gradually. In the first batch starting today, it would be transferred to 2.5 million employees. “Some will receive it today, some will have it tomorrow,” he added.

Jokowi hoped the assistance program would boost people's purchasing power so that Indonesia's economy would recover to a normal position.

Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah said there are 15,725,232 recipients of the assistance program. As of Wednesday, August 26, BP Jamsostek had confirmed 13.8 million accounts submitted by private companies, or 88 percent of the target.

Employees listed in the recipients of the wage subsidy would obtain Rp600,000 per month for a period of four months. However, the assistance will be disbursed once in two months at Rp1.2 million.

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FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA