Team to Supervise Compensation Funds to Offset Fuel Price Hike

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian government has established a team of people from many sectors to supervise the allocation of compensation funds to offset the imminent fuel-price hike. “This team has been established to improve the transparency of the funds allocation,” Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Jakti said in a press conference held at the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta last night (16/1). Beginning today (17/1), at 00.00 am Western Indonesian Time (WIB), the fuel price in Indonesia will have increased. The government is allocating Rp 2.85-trillion in compensation funds to assist poorer communities affected by this move. During a cabinet meeting held some time ago, it was decided that the compensation funds would be allocated through seven programs: Rp 500 billion of the funds would be allocated through a rice subsidy program; Rp 570 billion to improve the health service; Rp 1.28 trillion through an education program; Rp 190 billion for an increase in the available transportation service; Rp 130 billion to provide clean water facilities; Rp 90 billion to develop small and middle-sized enterprises and Rp 90 billion to empower society in the coastal areas. As to whether these funds were guaranteed to be allocated to the targeted recipients, Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Jusuf Kalla said that supervision would be conducted by many parties in coordination with one another. “We will supervise the allocation of these funds as per usual, through NGOs and the House of Representatives (DPR),” Jusuf said.