Subsidized rice gives hope to poor Jakartans
Subsidized rice gives hope to poor Jakartans
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fifty nine-year-old Lasiem speaks enthusiastically of the relief
she feels at being able to keep food on the table.
"Alhamdullilah (Praise be to God), since I joined this program
two years ago, my family and I have never lacked food," says
Lasiem, who lives with her married 22-year-old daughter, son-in-
law and two grandchildren.
Living in a 5 meter by 4 meter house in Community Unit 4 in
South Rawabadak subdistrict, North Jakarta, Lasiem is entitled to
buy 20 kilograms of rice at Rp 1,000 per kilogram, compared to
the market price of Rp 2,800 per kilogram sold by State Logistics
Agency (Bulog).
One hundred and forty-two other poor families in Rawabadak
benefit from the government's low-income assistance fund, which
also includes free health care and education for the poor.
In Jakarta alone, 277,174 poor families benefit from the
program.
"The raskin (rice for the poor) helps me lighten the burden of
my daughter's family. It's hard enough for them to survive and
take care of the children on my son-in-law's uncertain income,"
said Lasiem.
Her son-in-law works as a janitor at an automotive workshop in
Ciputat, South Jakarta, and comes home once a month after he
receives his salary, which barely covers the family's daily
needs.
To make ends meet while her son-in-law is away working,
Lasiem, who previously worked as a waitress at a military
canteen, often borrows money from neighbors or works at a
friend's food stall.
"I repay the loans when my son-in-law comes home with his pay.
I also use some of his money to buy the cheap rice," said Lasiem,
who was widowed 16 years ago.
With a trembling yet calm voice, Lasiem, born in Cilacap,
Central Java, said it was upsetting when supplies of subsidized
rice did not arrive on the 25th or 26th of the month as
scheduled.
"I get so worried when it comes one or two weeks late, and all
I can do is grumble to myself. I can't afford to buy rice at the
market, which usually costs more than Rp 3,000 per liter," said
Lasiem.
"I can buy rice at the fixed price, without any trouble
because I have a raskin card ... unlike my daughter," she said.
Wati, Lasiem's only daughter, said that she can buy cheap rice
too, but has to pay Rp 27,000 more per 20-kilogram sack.
"I have to pay Rp 27,000 for a sack of rice. But most of the
time I have to push and shove against other people who don't have
raskin cards either, just so we can get some cheap rice," Wati
explained.
Wati said that 20 kilograms of rice per month was not enough
to feed five mouths. To cover the shortfall, once every two
months, Wati and her mother buy two extra sacks of subsidized
rice at a higher price.
"With my mother being a member of the raskin program, my
family can afford quality rice that is cheap. The rice has been
better this past year. Previously, we could hardly swallow the
rice they supplied," said Wati.
Wati is glad her mother also has a welfare card (Gakin), which
entitles her to free health care.
"Because I don't have a Gakin card, I often use my mother's
for medical treatment. As for my two children, I pay Rp 3,000 per
child every time I take them to the subdistrict community
clinic," said Wati. (001)