Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Responds to Alleged Social Assistance Politicization

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati commented on the highly-talked allegations of social assistance politicization. The most recent was sparked by the announcement of the temporary unconditional cash transfer or BLT Food-Risk Mitigation yesterday.

Sri Mulyani said that social assistance is an instrument included in the State Budget or APBN, drafted by the House of Representatives (DPR). "So, every political party discuss the State Budget with the government," she said during a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 30. 

The government allotted Rp476 trillion for social assistance which materialized into various programs, such as the BLT El Nino, subsidized fuel oil, food aid, and grocery aid. 

In 2024, the social assistance budget has risen 20 percent to Rp496 trillion. "My point is, these numbers, Rp476 trillion and Rp496 trillion, are included in the State Budget Law, initiated by the government, drafted by DPR, and promulgated into a law," she said.

On January 29, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced BLT Food-Risk Mitigation with an allotted budget of Rp11.35 trillion for 18.8 million beneficiaries. Each benefactor household will receive Rp200,000 each month for three months starting February.

It is a fact that the general elections will be held on February 14, adding to the accusation of social assistance politicization. This allegation is exacerbated by the shift in the BLT distribution process through the postal services. Previous BLTs are transferred. 

Tempo's anonymous source from the Finance Ministry believed that BLT Food-Risk Mitigation is politicized. The social assistance, they said, is a calculated effort to win a certain running pair in the upcoming general elections.

AMELIA RAHIMA SARI

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