Habibie orders development of moral safety net program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie ordered State Minister of
\nWomen's Affairs Tutty Alawiyah on Friday to develop a national
\n\"moral\" safety net program to help overcome moral decadence
\nduring the ongoing economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the opening of the national forum on the Infant
\nand Family Development Movement at the State Palace, the
\nPresident said he was deeply concerned by prevalent looting,
\ncrimes and cruelty.<\/p>\n
\"In avoiding the nonphysical impacts (of the crisis), various
\nefforts and programs need to be developed, such as one we call
\nthe Moral Safety Net (JPM),\" said Habibie.<\/p>\n
He said he instructed the women's affairs ministry to develop
\nand socialize the program to empower mothers and their roles in
\nthe family.<\/p>\n
The ministry was also asked to establish women's role bureaus
\nat the provincial and district levels.<\/p>\n
The President acknowledged the crisis made it difficult for
\nmothers from low-income families to give proper attention to
\ntheir children because they were forced out of the home to earn
\nmoney to support their families.<\/p>\n
Parents often are no longer able to provide nutritious food
\nfor their infants and many children can no longer continue their
\neducations, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We are really facing a large problem with the rising number
\nof babies suffering from retardation, both in their physical and
\nintellectual growth,\" said Habibie.<\/p>\n
In Purbalingga, Central Java, a pediatrician at Purbalingga
\nGeneral Hospital, H. Tamsu, said on Thursday that 190 infants
\nwere receiving treatment at community health centers for
\nmalnutrition, with dozens in critical condition,<\/p>\n
A major problem in saving the lives of children at risk is
\nthat parents fear hospital costs, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Almost all parents refuse permission for their children to
\nstay in hospitals, even though we tell them no costs are
\ninvolved.\"<\/p>\n
Tamsu said parents had resorted to selling more nutritional
\nfoodstuff from the social safety net program in order to buy
\nrice. \"There's nothing we can do.\"<\/p>\n
The only solution is to reduce the price of basic needs, he
\nsaid. Foodstuff from the social safety net program includes such
\nnutritional food as milk, butter, sugar, eggs and biscuits.<\/p>\n
Tamsu estimated malnutrition here would worsen because the Rp
\n10 million the government had allocated to address the problem
\nhad been spent.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, 11 babies in West Sumatra have died of
\nchronic and acute undernourishment in Padang, Padang Pariaman,
\nSolok, Pasaman and Bukittinggi. (prb\/45)<\/p>",
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