Jakarta – Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Budiman Sudjatmiko on Wednesday expressed concern over remarks uttered by Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi in which he blamed the village apparatus for the chaotic distribution of cash assistance (BLSM).

Budiman said that the government did not involve the state apparatus in the data collection process on the number of the people eligible for the assistance, adding that the data collection process was handled solely by the National Statistics Agency (BPS).

He emphasized that the chaotic distribution stemmed from inaccurate BPS data, which was based on the 2011 Social Safety Net Program Data Collection.

"If the village apparatus was involved from the beginning, they would have provided accurate data on their residents," Budiman said as quoted by kontan.co.id. He reiterated that Gamawan's remarks could create tension between village apparatus' and their residents.

Budiman said that Gamawan should not repeat the government's past mistake of blaming the village apparatus when problems arise in the implementation of new policies.

On Monday Gamawan said that the village apparatus should be blamed, not state-owned postal firm PT Pos Indonesia, for problems in the distribution of BLSM. (hrl)