Social Affairs Minister Urges Social Welfare Centres to Address and Resolve Public Complaints

Malang, East Java (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has urged social welfare centres (Puskesos) to actively follow up on and assist in quickly finding solutions to every complaint from the public. Gus Ipul, the minister’s familiar nickname, stated during a press conference at the Malang Regency Hall in East Java on Monday that Puskesos is now based on the Integrated Service and Referral System (SLRT), which accelerates the delivery of information to higher levels. He emphasised that the speed of resolving public complaints is the right way to eliminate the accumulation of problems that can impact aspects of public welfare and social life. “One of the most common complaints is not being able to redeem a child’s school certificate, not being able to buy uniforms, and other issues. These must be addressed; they cannot be left for the public to resolve on their own, leading to debt,” he said. Broadly speaking, Puskesos functions as an integrated service hub with a data centre, gathering place for social companions, referral for further services, and public complaints. Puskesos handles various complaints, such as proposing social assistance, updating the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN), managing BPJS, and conducting assessments of social problems. It also provides guidance and counselling for social issues, as well as connecting to further service centres covering education, health, unfit housing, and employment. The referral institutions from Puskesos via SLRT include the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Health, and the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN). Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of Indonesia. Gus Ipul stressed that Puskesos is not just a service but must become a container for providing and realising public hopes. “Many people need to report and convey their problems so that they can be helped,” he said.