Tutut leads campaign to ease crisis' impact

Tutut leads campaign to ease crisis' impact

JAKARTA (JP): New Minister of Social Services Siti Hardijanti
Rukmana led yesterday a limited ministerial meeting to develop
both immediate and long-term plans to deal with the social impact
of the monetary crisis.

Hardijanti, who is better known as Mbak Tutut, said at a media
briefing afterward that initiatives ranged from distributing free
meals to laid-off workers to finding new jobs -- such as tilling
idle land -- for those who became unemployed during the economic
slump, were being prepared.

"We have yet to obtain information as to how many people have
been affected by the crisis, but what's important is (finding
ways) to appease people's concerns," she said after the meeting
attended by, among others, Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono,
Minister of Manpower Theo Sambuaga, State Minister of Youth and
Sports Agung Laksono, Minister of Cooperatives Subiakto
Tjakrawerdaja, and Minister of Education Wiranto Arismunandar.

Minister of Religious Affairs Quraish Shihab and Jakarta
Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsuddin were also
present.

"The impact of the monetary crisis does not affect only the
economic sector but also the social side," Hardijanti said.

Indonesia is battling a major economic crisis after the
collapse of the rupiah. The Indonesian currency has depreciated
by more than 70 percent against the dollar since the middle of
last year.

President Soeharto initiated a novel drive earlier this week,
pledging his year's salary to the poor. His 36 cabinet ministers
and many other high-ranking officials such as governors have also
stated their commitment to the drive, many noting that they would
not face any hardship at all given that their benefits were often
bigger than their salaries.

Hardijanti's office will be in charge of the mobilization and
disbursement of the donation. She said the donations from
government officials as well as the private sector had started to
flow in but had yet to be calculated.

She said two large private conglomerates had donated Rp 3
billion (US$294,000) Thursday.

"Yesterday I received from Barito's director and commissioners
one year's salary, or Rp 2 billion, and from Astra's commissioner
and director also one year's worth of salary, or Rp 1 billion.

"If the money were to be managed by the finance ministry then
it would have to appear in the state budget, which would
complicate its distribution. If it is held by the Ministry of
Social Services it could be disbursed immediately."

Hardijanti also said her office planned to distribute money to
help the poor and those laid off because of the economic crisis.

The fund would provide cash assistance for small Warung Tegal
(roadside) food stalls, which are popular with people of the
lower economic classes.

"We will revive Warung Tegal so that people will always be
able to buy (cheap meals) from there," she said. (swe)