Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) started his three-day working visit to Southeast Sulawesi and North Maluku on Monday to ensure that beneficiaries in the two provinces' outermost regions receive social aid.
“Mr. President will ensure that the distribution of social assistance does reach recipients in remote towns,” head of the Presidential Secretariat, Heru Budi Hartono, said in a statement.
President Widodo and his entourage left for South Konawe district in Southeast Sulawesi on board the Indonesian Air Force's Boeing 737-400 aircraft from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, East Jakarta.
"May this trip that will end on Wednesday go smoothly," Hartono remarked, adding that the President is scheduled to visit Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi, as well as Ternate, Halmahera, and Sofifi in North Maluku.
During the visit, Jokowi will greet local residents and distribute direct cash transfers to those affected by the impact of the government's recent fuel price hike.
"This time, President Jokowi will ensure that the fuel cash assistance of the Manpower Ministry for workers suffering from the impact of the recent fuel price hike is well-received,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, Investment Minister and head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Bahlil Lahadalia, have accompanied the President on the visit.
On September 3, 2022, the Indonesian government decided to revise the prices of subsidized and non-subsidized fuels.
Accordingly, the price of subsidized Pertalite (RON 90) fuel was raised to Rp10 thousand (US$0.67) per liter from Rp7,650 (US$0.51) earlier.
Meanwhile, the price of Solar (diesel) fuel was increased to Rp6,800 (US$0.45) per liter from Rp5,150 (US$0.34), and non-subsidized Pertamax (RON 92) fuel to Rp14,500 (US$20.97) per liter from Rp12,500 (US$0.83).
The government decided to divert the fuel subsidy to provide direct social assistance to eligible residents in a bid to relieve the energy subsidy burden, which has consumed Rp502.4 trillion (US$33.6 billion) of this year's state budget.
According to the President, the government has, since long, been committed to protecting citizens from fluctuations in global oil prices, and the energy subsidy has been allowed to increase three-fold from the initial ceiling set in the state budget.
Baca juga: Presiden Jokowi ke Sultra dan Maluku Utara pastikan bansos sampai ke warga