VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo’s administration is working to ensure that the distribution of social assistance, as part of national economic recovery (PEN) in the wake of COVID-19, continues next year.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto said the government has agreed to continue giving priority to several social assistance programs next year.

"There are four priority continuation programs for social assistance," he said after a plenary cabinet meeting on Health Management and Economic Recovery for Strengthening Reforms in 2021 at the State Palace, in Jakarta, on Monday.

The four programs are presidential cash assistance for micro, small, and medium enterprises; salary subsidies, which continues to the first quarter next year; pre-employment cards; and, cash assistance in the Family Hope Program (PKH).

He said the programs aims to maintain people's purchasing power during the pandemic.

"The programs running are the PKH program, basic needs aid for families in the Greater Jakarta area, and cash aid for families in other areas, pre-employment cards, electricity discounts, logistics aid, village cash aid, cooperative investment aid, and assistance for micro-entrepreneurs," Airlangga said.

The cabinet meeting concluded to continue the priority programs next year, including the Covid-19 vaccine, he added.

According to the Coordinating Minister, several companies have prepared their vaccine to a certain stage.
“The Merah Putih vaccine, [which is being] developed by the Ministry of Research and Technology with the Eijkman Institute and Bio Farma is in collaboration with Sinovac will prepare 290 million doses," he said.

"The United Arab Emirates' G-42 vaccine will prepare 30 million doses this year," Airlangga added.

The Health Ministry will also prepare the mobilization of vaccines, expectedly to start early next year, and prepare about 30 million vaccines at the end of this year, he said.

"The government has set aside Rp3.8 trillion for next year, and multi-year allocation is [will be attuned] Rp37 trillion," he said. (Antaranews)