Radio Talkshow Campaign held to Promote Raskin in 2014

19 June 2014

Sri Kusumastuti Rahayu, Head of Cluster 1 Working Group at the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K) and Sarwat Fardaniyah, Deputy Director for Identification and Analysis, Directorate of Rural Poverty at the Ministry of Social Affairs took part in an interactive dialogue/talk show on KBR68H Radio on 19 June 2014 in Jakarta to promote Raskin in 2014, with an emphasis of using the Social Assistance Card (KPS) to access the subsidised rice for low-income households programme (Raskin).

"In 2013, KPS cards were distributed to 15.5 million targeted households (RTS), those in the lowest 25 percent welfare bracket. These are the poor and near-poor who need to be helped to get out poverty. By accessing Raskin using KPS, it is expected that the benefits of Raskin will be enjoyed those poor in need, "said Rahayu.

She warned by dividing Raskin among to who do not have a KPS card or Certificate of Poor Households (SKRTM) for Replacement Households is against the rules, inhibits the programme objectives and does not help reduce poverty.

Meanwhile, Sarwat Fardaniyah – who spoke over the phone -- explained that the government ensures that Raskin rice purchased from Bulog is of medium quality.

"The price of Raskin rice is set by the government at Rp 1,600 per kilogram from distribution points, while the price paid by the government for Bulog is Rp 8,330 per kilogram," Fardaniyah said.

This interactive dialogue ended a series of activities hosted with several radio stations in May and June 2014, including RRI Pro 3, Radio Indonesian dangdut and Radio KBR68H. In addition, media briefings were held in six provincial capitals -- Jakarta, Medan, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang and Makassar --, while posters and leaflets were distributed in more than 100 districts/cities across Indonesia to raise awareness and understanding of the general public and stakeholders on the rights of KPS holders for Raskin.