'Look at us, we're poor'

'Look at us, we're poor'

PADANG, West Sumatra: People used to be embarrassed to admit
that they were poor.

Soon after the government launched the poverty alleviation
program, in which poor villages are given financial assistance to
establish economic units to achieve self-sufficiency, suddenly
many villages and subdistricts were flaunting their poverty.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. revealed the new
pride of being poor during his meeting with the provincial
government officials here on Friday.

However, "no matter what the problems are, the poverty
alleviation program has to succeed in helping millions of
Indonesians still living below the poverty line," Yogie was
quoted by Antara as vowing on Saturday. (swe)