Right approach

Right approach
would win support

From Suara Karya

Poverty is a structural and multidimensional issue involving
politics, social welfare and the economy, among other areas. This
can be noticed in the low capacity of poor people to earn a
living as they lack skills, equipment, capital and decent
shelter.

Widespread poverty in the country is further worsened by high
rates of unemployment and crime in major cities. The various
government programs to overcome poverty by making society a major
economic player have not yet been fruitful.

Such programs are, on the one hand, still bound by a
formalistic approach with activities mostly under foreign
direction. On the other hand, aid schemes are dominated by
prominent rather than needy people.

Consequently, government programs fall short of fulfilling the
actual needs of poor people and most aid packages even fail to
reach their designed targets.

With increasing poverty in both rural and urban regions, the
approach to, and system, of poverty relief in Indonesia should be
improved, so as to win public support and ensure better results.

SYAMSUDDIN ASHAR
Bulukumba, South Sulawesi