Slamet Susanto, Bantul – The temporary direct cash assistance (BLSM) for poor people in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, may have been inappropriately distributed as more than 25,000, 30 percent of a total 88,611 beneficiaries, come from well-off families.

"The BLSM is not educative and moreover it is also open to abuse. More than 25,000 BLSM recipients come from well-off families," said Sulistyo Admojo, head of the Paguyuban Dukuh (Pandu), or hamlets' association, in Bantul regency, on Sunday. He said the figure was based on reports submitted by hamlets in the regency.

Sulistyo said such a situation was in contrast to the fact that more than 10,000 poor people were not registered as beneficiaries. "As a result, many heads of hamlets have become the target of people's anger," he said.

The four-month cash aid is being distributed by the government to compensate for the recent increase in subsidized-fuel prices. Under the program, a total of 15.5 million targeted households are eligible to receive Rp 150,000 (US$15) per month.

Head of Sidomulyo village in Bambanglipuro, Eddy Mutjito, admitted that 25 percent of the cash assistance distributed in his village was wrongly targeted. "Many retired police and military personnel and well-off families have received the BLSM," he said.

Eddy said 1,872 households from 15 hamlets in his area were registered as BLSM beneficiaries. However, around 20-30 percent of the total recipients came from well-off families, he claimed.

Sulistyo said the government needed to review the cash assistance programs, including the BLSM. The beneficiary data should also be more rigorously scrutinized.

"Since the very beginning, we have opposed the BLSM. It's not educative and has potential to trigger disputes," he said. (ebf)