Tanjungpinang residents grateful for government rice assistance
A number of residents of Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands, have expressed gratitude for receiving rice assistance from the government to meet their food needs for three months.
A housewife in RT 01/RW 01, Tanjung Unggat Village, said the rice aid helped reduce household spending on daily food needs. Her husband is no longer working because he suffers from shortness of breath, while her family consists of seven people.
“Alhamdulillah, this assistance is very useful and helps us, especially since the price of rice in the market is quite expensive,” said Santi after receiving the aid at the Tanjung Unggat Village Office on Wednesday.
Santi received 30 kilograms of rice for the next three months, namely July, August and September 2026. With seven family members, she estimates the rice will only last about 15 days.
“It will not even last a month for daily consumption, because my children are still growing,” she said.
A similar sentiment was shared by Yeni, a resident of Jalan Gudang Minyak, Tanjung Unggat Village. She is very grateful that the rice aid she received has made her household needs a little lighter at a time when her husband’s income is uncertain.
Yeni’s husband works as a casual daily labourer, so the family’s income is not always available every day.
“When we get assistance, it feels lighter. When we do not, it is also hard,” she added.
Yeni also expressed her gratitude to the central and regional governments for paying attention to people facing economic difficulties.
“We are happy and grateful to receive this assistance,” she said.
Jamaludin, a resident of Kilometer 2, Gang Kenanga 5, RT 05 RW 01, said the rice aid helps meet his family’s food needs for three months.
On a daily basis, Jamaludin works as a motorcycle taxi driver to provide for his wife and three children.
“Hopefully this government programme will continue, because there are still many people who need it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Head of Bulog Tanjungpinang Branch Arief Alhadihaq said the total number of beneficiaries of the rice aid in the area is 22,174 households. Each receives 30 kilograms of rice for three months at once, or 10 kilograms per month.
He described the food assistance programme as a manifestation of the state’s presence in ensuring equitable access to food.
“This food assistance aims to ease the spending burden of low-income families, maintain people’s purchasing power, and control price fluctuations and food inflation,” said Arief after the symbolic handover of food aid in Tanjung Unggat Village.
Arief also assured that the rice distributed by Bulog to beneficiaries is medium-quality rice that is safe and fit for consumption.