[Indonesia] Majalengka to be poverty data inventory model

From The Jakarta post

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Majalengka

The West Java regency of Majalengka is being proposed as the model for the smooth distribution of assistance to the poor, an official said Saturday.

Adang Setiana, a deputy to the people's welfare minister, said Saturday that the proposal would be made because the distribution of assistance in Majalengka, including cash assistance for the needy after fuel price hikes last year, proceeded smoothly, unlike in many other areas.

The distribution of the fuel cash subsidy in other regions was marked by a number of incidents, ranging from intimidation of village officials to the deaths of elderly people, who were trampled by crowds.

The distribution of the subsidy was conducted in two stages, with the first in October last year and the second this month.

"Our findings show that the data inventory for the poor in Majalengka is well organized," Adang said.

Majalengka regency administration secretary Suhardja said their success in implementing the data inventory for the poor was the result of hard work on the part of the whole community.

"All elements of the community participated in collecting data, including officials from the neighborhood community units, housewives and village and subdistrict heads," he said.

Suranti Puspa, chairwoman of the Majalengka population and family planning office, explained that after being verified the data was classified into two categories, those under the poverty line and those with adequate incomes.

"Those categorized as poor are given poverty cards, under the consent of the regent, and are valid for five years," she said.

The poverty cards, Suranti said, would be used as a basis for the provision of various forms of assistance, including the cash subsidy. "Therefore the cash subsidy goes to the right people. Not a single conflict took place in Majalengka," she said.

Out of the population of 1.17 million in Majalengka, which consists of 318 kampungs and 13 villages in 23 subdistricts, at least 93,000 families were eligible for the subsidy.