LABUAN BAJO TERKINI – The mis-targeted Direct Cash Transfer (BLT) program is once again in the public spotlight. Residents regret that there are still BLT recipients from well-off households, while those who truly need the assistance are being neglected.

In an interview conducted on Saturday, May 3, 2025, Mrs Yeni, a resident of one of urban village who received BLT due to being classified as poor, expressed her disappointment. She’s also mentions the government should be more careful in distributing assistance and directly check the actual condition of residents.

“In my opinion, the government must come down and look again at who should really receive it, like, what is the situation? If people who have a walled house and a job still receive assistance, it’s called mis-targeting,” she said.

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Yeni emphasized that BLT (Direct Cash Assistance) should be given to underprivileged citizens, such as widows, the elderly, or those who truly do not have a steady income.

Furthermore, She also criticized the issue of multiple assistance programs being received by the same individuals, such as those who receive BLT, PKH, and basic food packages simultaneously.

“If they have received PKH, there is no need for BLT, so that the assistance can be rolled out to other people who are more in need,” she’s added.

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When asked about the impact of the BLT assistance, Yeni said the aid was very helpful for basic needs such as food and children’s school fees. However, she emphasized that there is no negative impact as long as the assistance is given to those who truly deserve it.

This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Lusius who admitted he had received BLT for more than a year. He also stated that the government must go to the field to clearly assess the condition of BLT recipients.

The community hopes that the government will take more serious steps in verifying and validating recipient data so that there will no longer be gaps and social injustice in the distribution of assistance.

In an interview conducted on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, with one of the staff from Mbaumuku Kelurahan, she responded to this issue and said, “The government has tried to implement and follow the applicable regulations, namely, by distributing this assistance to people who really deserve it,” said Kristina.

In Mbaumuku also emphasized that the various submitted data would be rechecked, then sent to the RT (neighborhood). From there, the data would be forwarded to the social service to determine whether the recipients are eligible or not. This was explained by Mrs. Kristina, a LURAH staff member.

Kristina also added that the last case of BLT mis-targeting in her kelurahan occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. If data errors still occur, it is because the same outdated data is still being used, and they are unaware that the individual’s economic condition has improved.

In accordance with regulations and policies conveyed by the lurah, those who receive Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) must be truly poor and without a fixed income.

Mis-targeting in BLT distribution can lead to conflict within the community and a loss of trust in government programs. The kelurahan government stated that such cases will not happen again because they are now more thorough in reviewing data and understanding the background of recipients.

Thus, it is believed that all future government distribution activities will run smoothly and be appropriately targeted.

 

Oleh: Korentina Ekilia Viat, Lidya Varani Dahung, Yustina Gumut, Maria Lira Anggriani Putri – Mahasiswa Prodi Bahasa Inggris Unika St Paulus Ruteng Manggarai NTT

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