Disbursing funds for the poor

Disbursing funds for the poor

From Suara Karya

The Jakarta Municipality (DKI) on Jan. 2, 2001 stated that as much as Rp 2 billion would be poured into the 25 poor urban villages. This Rp 2 billion is to be used to overcome poverty in those locations, and will be taken from the 2001 regional annual budget that has stipulated a routine expenditure account of Rp 410 billion and a development expenditure account of Rp 175 billion.

Based on the data in the DKI development plan, the 25 villages that will receive the funds are, among others, Pela Mampang, West Cilandak, East Cilandak, Cikoko, Karet Kuningan, North Petojo, Utan Panjang, Kemayoran, Tanah Tinggi, Bidaracina, Balimester, Kampung Tengah, Cililitan, Cipinang, Kebon Bawang, Rorotan, West Pademangan, Sunter Jaya, Kedaung Kaliangke, West Cengkareng, East Cengkareng, and Pegadungan.

If this information is true, we residents of Jalan Bangka, Kelurahan Pela Mampang, gladly welcome the news. With these funds, we will have the opportunity of improving our living conditions and of rising out of poverty.

However, I am afraid our hopes will never be realized. The reason being, as is already a public secret, such funds are usually subject to evaporation or leakage on the way so that when they reach the citizens concerned, only an insignificant portion remains.

Accordingly, all we want from the Municipality and the village administration offices is that they display an attitude of amanah (trusteeship). These funds belong to the poor who deserve to have their fate improved, and if they are embezzled, this will not be right, or will be illegal. Let us all, in this era of reform, begin to be wise.

BEJO

Jakarta