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December 2, 2024 | 08:43 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, has defended Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's distribution of social assistance, stating that the VP has the right to conduct it on behalf of his position.
“The Vice President’s aid is fine. He has operational funds that can be used for community benefit,” Hasan explained after a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace complex on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The aid, packaged in blue bags labeled "Bantuan Wapres Gibran" or "Aid of Vice President Gibran", was distributed during the VP's visit to flood-affected areas in Kebon Pala, Kampung Melayu, and Jatinegara, East Jakarta, on November 28, 2024. In addition to providing aid, Gibran also distributed milk to children.
Gibran’s social assistance program sparks controversy. Nabiyla Risfa Izzati, a law lecturer at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), highlighted Gibran's approach to public service, including direct field visits and the "Lapor Wapres" complaint post initiative.
“Gibran really follows his father's textbook since day one in office. Branding. Branding. Branding,”’ said Nabiyla on her social media X, noting the emphasis on branding in Gibran's actions.
Comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono also questioned Gibran's social assistance. “Why does he end up branding himself,” he replied to a tweet by the news site Detikcom.
Social media user Umar Al Chelsea compared Gibran's maneuver with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, who has never openly distributed social assistance.
Another X user, Anak Ogi, compared Vice President Gibran's Aid with the social assistance programs implemented during Jokowi's presidency, which were funded by the state budget and branded with the Presidential Palace logo and label 'Assistance from the President of the Republic of Indonesia'.
Coordinating Minister of Human Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar claimed he did not know about the social aid. However, he suggested that it might be allocated from the Vice President's Secretariat budget.
“Typically, assistance is derived from various sources, including ministerial budgets, the Vice President's budget, and the President's budget. That aid may be sourced from the Vice President's budget,” Muhaimin or Cak Imin said at the Sultan Hotel, Central Jakarta on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
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