Farhan Highlights Desil 5-6 Transition, Urges Protection for Vulnerable Residents

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan has highlighted the situation of residents whose welfare status changes from Desil 5 to Desil 6. This group requires serious attention because they risk losing access to assistance, even though they remain in a vulnerable condition.

The Bandung city government will carefully scrutinise the implementation of desil-based policies. This is being done to ensure that central government policies can be applied in line with the real conditions of communities on the ground.

“As for Desil 9 and Desil 10, however you look at it, Bandung is one of the cities whose data is considered the best by the Ministry of Social Affairs. We are already among the best,” he said on Monday (24/8).

Farhan said Desil 9 and Desil 10 are groups of people deemed already capable and in possession of a steady income. Consequently, these groups can no longer enjoy a number of subsidies, particularly fuel subsidies.

Nevertheless, the policy must still be scrutinised because conditions on the ground do not always fully match the recorded data.

“For that reason, we will examine the field very carefully regarding the application of rules for Desil 9 and Desil 10. The city government is not only focused on Desil 9 and Desil 10 communities. In fact, the group transitioning from Desil 5 to Desil 6 is one of the main concerns of the regional government,” he explained.

According to Farhan, Desil 9 and Desil 10 communities face the consequence of no longer receiving subsidies. Meanwhile, residents moving from Desil 5 to Desil 6 potentially no longer receive social assistance.

For the city government, the most vulnerable in Bandung are those between Desil 5 and Desil 6. Desil 9 and 10 cannot enjoy subsidies. Desil 5 to Desil 6 cannot receive assistance. Yet their position is far more vulnerable.

“Because of that, we will ensure that community groups experiencing a change in desil status continue to receive attention. The government will also examine the possibility of discrepancies between the data and the actual economic conditions of residents. The Desil 9 and 10 issue is important, but we also cannot ignore the Desil 5 to Desil 6 transition issue. And vice versa,” he said.

Farhan said monitoring of community conditions will be carried out down to the neighbourhood level. One instrument that can be utilised is the Siskamling Siap Jaga Bencana programme, which allows residents to convey their aspirations and the conditions they face directly.