TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is considering temporarily halting social assistance distribution during the silence period ahead of the general elections, according to the head of National Food Agency (Bapanas)  Arief Prasetyo on Wednesday.

"The government considered  suspending (social assistance) from Feb. 11 to Feb. 14, 2024," Arief Prasetyo said.

However, Arief said further information will be announced soon since Bulog has already planned the distribution across Indonesia.

The social assistance program is effective to suppress price hikes due to lower rice production, Arief said. The aid has also been planned for a long time considering the high demand from low-income families.

The rice assistance distribution by Bapanas is in line with Law no. 18 of 2012 on Food and Presidential Regulation No. 66 of 2021 where the agency has the duty to maintain food stability and availability. 

Rice assistance is a program to deliver rice to low-income families registered in the beneficiary households list as part of the utilization of the government's rice reserve based on Presidential Regulation No.125 of 2022.

The government has conducted a rice assistance program since 2023, and in 2024, 10 kg of rice will be delivered monthly to 22 million beneficiary households. The data is obtained from the Targeted Acceleration of Extreme Poverty Eradication (P3KE) at the Coordinating Ministry of Human Resource Development and Cultural Affairs.

ANTARA

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