Prabowo introduces beneficiaries, guarantees targeted social aid distribution

President Prabowo Subianto guaranteed that social protection and social assistance programmes are distributed in a targeted and transparent manner to vulnerable community groups by introducing two beneficiaries, Susanah and Margarelitha Rohi, during a state address. Speaking at the Nusantara Building in the Parliamentary Complex, Jakarta, on Friday, the President shared the stories of the working women who receive government aid, namely the Family Hope Programme for Susanah and ATENSI assistance for Margarelitha Rohi. “Today, we are joined by Mrs Susanah from Bogor Regency. She works as a daily labourer, peeling onions for a wage of Rp700,000 per kilogram. The Family Hope Programme and basic food assistance help sustain her children’s education,” Prabowo said as he introduced Susanah before more than 600 members of the House of Representatives and state officials. The President then introduced Margarelitha Rohi. “Also present is Mrs Margarelitha Rohi from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. Since childhood, she has lived in hardship and never received an education. At the age of 38, she is still trading and caring for her 80-year-old aunt. The ATENSI social assistance has become a pillar for her family,” the President stated. President Prabowo stressed that the state’s presence through these social protection and assistance programmes is not intended to replace the people’s hard work, but to ensure their efforts are not in vain. On the same occasion, Prabowo also reiterated the government’s achievements in the digitalisation of social assistance distribution. The President explained that the digitalisation of the Family Hope Programme has successfully cut the verification time for beneficiaries from the previous 75 to 200 days down to just hours or even minutes. Furthermore, digitalisation has eliminated the convoluted procedures that beneficiaries previously faced when trying to receive government aid packages. “Previously, underprivileged families had to spend Rp150,000 on travel, documents, photocopying, and lost working time. Now, registration can be done at no cost, free of charge. Eligibility checks that previously took 75 to 200 days can now be completed in a matter of minutes or hours,” Prabowo said.