Indonesian Tsunami Victims to Receive Daily Cash Allowance

Jakarta. The government plans to pay a living allowance to tsunami victims in the Mentawai Islands until the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts have been completed, an official has said.

The number of people affected by the Oct. 25 tsunami was initially estimated at 33,817. However, with many islands being difficult to access, it is believed the number of people affected could exceed 65,000.

“The living allowance for each tsunami victim is projected to be Rp 6,000 [$0.70] per person [per day],” said Kafrawi, head of West Sumatra’s social affairs unit.

“The maximum number of people in each family entitled to receive such assistance is five. The government plans to shoulder the living costs of tsunami victims for one month,” the official said on Thursday.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) estimates that last month’s tsunami, which was triggered a by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, caused 431 deaths, left 88 people missing and seriously injured 270.

The government will start paying the allowance to tsunami victims in early January, Kafrawi said, adding that local authorities were in the middle of registering potential recipients.

“We ask the Mentawai district administration to send a list of recipients to the West Sumatra governor as soon as possible so that we can quickly pass it on to the Social Affairs Ministry,” Kafrawi said on the sidelines of a meeting between West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno and Indonesian Red Cross chairman Jusuf Kalla.

He said his office had recently held a meeting with the ministry to discuss the living allowance, and the ministry had said it was willing to bear victims’ living costs.

“We hope the plan can be realized according to the schedule in order to alleviate the economic burden of the tsunami victims on the islands,” he said.

(Tjonge-tjonge the generosity seems to be dripping from the trees again, and that at Rp 6.000 per day for no more than five family members at the time, so if there are more they just don't eat, of nick it from the neighbours? I wonder if pak Kafrawi has ever tried living on that pittance himself! Drives the latest BMW perhaps as perk from his exalted job as "head of the Social Affairs Unit I would imagine! Kesas' musings)

“The living allowance for each tsunami victim is projected to be Rp 6,000 [$0.70] per person [per day],”....



Sbaya alongside some street at a hawkers stall:
Just an example of 6000 Rph value.

One pincuk (banana leave folded and sized as big as an adults open hand) filled with a quantity of 3 tablespoons of bubur (rice porridge), some gula merah/jawa syrup and coconut extract on top of it. Price: 2000 Rph.

I bought 3 pincuks as each pincuk's quantity was just well enough to fill up the small hole somewhere in one of my teeth.

So in total I paid 6000 Rph. and still my stomach was calling for more.

And this amount should be sufficient to feed one person a day not exceeding the amount of 5 persons per family????

Yes Om K, you're so well right.
Shame and scandall in the family it is.

Hmm, yeah, forgot to state that I nicked that article out of the Globe