Academics: BBM social assistance helps stabilize the purchasing power of the Papuan people

Yapis Papua University (UNIYAP) academics said the policy of diverting fuel subsidies (BBM) to social assistance in the form of BBM Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) will help stabilize the purchasing power of people in Papua.

UNIYAP Faculty of Economics and Business Lecturer Andri Irawan told Antara in Jayapura, Thursday, that he supported the BBM Social Assistance program but his party assessed that the budget for the assistance should be increased in order to boost the purchasing power of the Papuan people even better.

According to him, with the additional budget for social assistance, where the government has now prepared Rp. 24 trillion for the people of Indonesia, people's purchasing power will be well maintained.
 
"So we support the social assistance program, but the social assistance budget must be increased above Rp. 24 trillion to stabilize the impact of the fuel increase," he said.
 
According to Andry, because the increase in fuel prices usually has wide side effects, the BLT BBM must be right on target and with the right value.
 
"Of course, in each region it is different, such as in Papua, which is already used to the higher expensiveness of fuel, but people tend to think that the important thing is that the stock of fuel is available and easy to obtain," he said.
 
He explained that the people of Papua now consciously understand the impact of this fuel increase, but the point is in a simple thought where fuel stocks are available and easy to obtain.
 
"Indeed, regarding the increase in basic commodities, it is possible that in Papua there are still many alternatives, but that does not mean that the government can easily increase the price," he said again.
 
Emphasizing the distribution of BLT BBM which must be properly targeted so that the rights of the people in need are truly protected

SOURCE : https://papua.antaranews.com/berita/689889/akademisi-bansos-bbm-membantu-stabilkan-daya-beli-masyarakat-papua