Anies Baswedan Increases Grants Five Folds for Laskar Merah Putih

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mass organization Laskar Merah Putih has been listed as one of the receivers of grants allocated by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. The total allocation for 104 mass organizations amounts to Rp1.7 trillion in the 2018 Jakarta Budget draft.

“The amount does not matter. But this is a form of acknowledgment of the organization existence from the government,” Jeffry, the secretary of the Jakarta chapter of Laskar Merah Putih, told Tempo at his office in Jakarta on Friday night, November 24.

The value of the grant for the mass organization founded on December 28, 2000, increased five folds to Rp500 million when compared last year’s Rp100 million.

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“The grant will be used to roll out state defense programs and training for members,” Jeffry revealed.

According to Jeffry, the organization also receive funds from its members. The development of its headquarter in Jakarta was financed by Jakarta chapter of Laskar Merah Putih chairman Agus Salim.

Jeffry claimed that there are about 5,000 people listed as members of the organization in Jakarta. They are managed by five branches and hundreds of sub-branches. Each branch has at least 200 members.

Jeffry added that his organization had requested Rp500 million from the Jakarta National and Political Unity Office (Keasbangpol). He also mentioned that Laskar Merah Putih participated in Anies-Sandi’s campaign during the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.

DEWI NURITA