'The assistance funds will miss their target'

'The assistance funds will miss their target'

The government has cut fuel subsidies, but raised subsidies for
other things including health and education for the country's
poorest families. The Jakarta Post asked for comments from
residents about the low-income assistance fund.

Diniarti, 23, a graduate student of management at Trisakti
University, West Jakarta. She lives in Kampung Baru, South
Jakarta:

I don't think the fund will all go to the targeted people.

The main reason is corruption. Everyone in the government
handling this program wants to get their hands on that money.

The system to implement the program is a complex bureaucracy.

Another thing is poor administrative and record systems. I
think there should be an independent body that handles the
distribution of assistance.

The government should work with organizations that have less
bureaucracy to prevent embezzlement of the fund.

Badrun, 31, a shop keeper working at Blok M commercial
district, South Jakarta. He lives with his wife and two children
in Tangerang. His monthly salary is only Rp 800,000 (US$83.33):

Well, I hope the government will fulfill its promises about
the low-income assistance fund to offset fuel price increases.
And I hope it will be immediately delivered to poor people most
affected by the price hikes.

The government must learn from the implementation of a similar
program in the past that did not take go very well.

What I learned from my neighborhood is that not all poor
families received assistance -- inexpensive rice for example.

Sometimes, the money did not reach the right targets. Some of
my neighbors told me that they did not receive rice and
complained that those who were better off did receive it.

--The Jakarta Post