'Many more people need aid'

The government raised fuel prices on Oct. 1 after putting into place a scheme that allocates low-income families Rp 100,000 a month to alleviate the extra financial burden they must bear. The Jakarta Post asked residents their opinion on the issue.

Muhammad, 35, is an activist with a non-governmental organization dealing with environmental issues in South Jakarta. He lives in Depok:

The cash assistance is politically motivated. It is aimed at preventing people from reacting strongly to the fuel price hikes, which of course affect low-income families.

Ideally, assistance for low-income families would be given through poverty eradication programs, because with cash aid people are not educated to live independently. But in an emergency situation, cash aid is acceptable.

But I question the way in which the government selected the people who are eligible for the aid. I look around and see that there are many poor people not receiving the aid, while other people who are more financially secure are getting the assistance.

I hope the government will immediately correct such mistakes.

Narko, 40, works at a private company in Slipi, West Jakarta. He lives in Ciputat, Tangerang:

The cash assistance is better than previous government programs to assist the poor, like the social safety net. I think cash aid is better and I believe that irregularities in the distribution of the aid can be minimized.

The problem is that the number of people receiving the assistance will be relatively small compared to the number of people badly affected by the fuel price increases.

I think the government must prepare more assistance so that more poor families can enjoy the aid.

-- The Jakarta Post