Australia Admires Indonesian Cash Aid Program

Sumber :

VIVAnews - Australian economists acknowledged that the Indonesian government is very responsive in handling the crisis. The positive comment was directed at the 'Direct Cash Aid' program (BLT), said Anggito Abimanyu, Head of Fiscal Policy Agency at the Department of Finance, after receiving a visit from several Australian analysts in Jakarta.

According to Abimanyu, the one-day unofficial visit was aimed at holding discussions. "We understand that the crisis is beginning to have greater impact. We were having a dialog to share our thoughts," he said on Friday, Feb 6.

He said Australia admired the method used in channeling the direct cash aid. "They [Australia] cannot distribute BLT as it is done in Indonesia," he said. In Australia, BLT is equally disbursed: from low-income families to top families. 

"Therefore, they are not capable of implementing direct subsidy as it is in Indonesia," said Abimanyu.

The Direct Cash Aid program is one that the government implements to help very low-income individuals when a crisis, such as sharp increases in oil prices.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono