TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Carrying a green folder in her right hand, Raniyem (51) joined a long queue in a post office in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta. While her right hand was carrying a map full of documents, her left hand was holding his six-year old daughter.
Once in a while, she calmed her daughter who turned fretful for queuing for such a long time. "Next, Number 91," said the post office staff. Raniyem took a peek at her registration number. Hers is number 114. Raniyem tried to calm her daughter again while fanning herself and her daughter with the folder.
The room where they queued felt stifling. It actually looked more like a parking basement, which was transformed into a waiting room. When her registration number was finally called, Raniyem rushed to the counter to take the money. She put Rp300,000 note into her pocket. She was all smiles.
"Thank God, I have additional money for this month," Raniyem said happily. Three hundred thousand is certainly not a pittance for a laundry worker like her. In a month, she earns no more that Rp500,000. "If I have a washing job, I have money. If not, I won’t have money," she said.
She received the good news about BLSM several days before. At that time, a post office officer came to her house in Kemanggisan Ilir, West Jakarta. The officer handed her a red envelope, containing a notification letter that she is one of the recipients for the Temporary Direct Cash Assistance (BLSM) program. "I was initially happy but when I knew that it’s because of the raised fuel price, I changed my mind a little bit," Raniyem said, beaming.
"Actually I’m happy to receive money from this BLSM program but I’ll be even happier if the fuel price was not raised," she hoped.
FAIZ NASHRILLAH
