President wants increase social assistance for senior citizens
Antara News, Wednesday, June 9, 2010 16:08 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here Wednesday called for an increase in the amount of social assistance for senior citizens which now stood at Rp300,000 per person per month.
"I have talked about it with the social affairs minister and asked him to increase the amount. The monthly rate of Rp300,000 per senior citizen should be raised in line with the increase in our gross domestic product (GDP) and state budget," the President said.
The president made the remark in his address at a function to mark National Senior Citizens` Day at the State Palace.
Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al-Jufri explained earlier that since 2007 the government had been giving social security funds to some 10,000 senior citizens. Each of them received Rp300,000 per month.
Therefore, the head of state added that besides increasing the senior citizens social security funds, the government at present and in the future would also continue to improve the protection of senior citizens and other special population groups such as severely disabled, displaced children, and others who deserved social protection.
The President also asked provincial, district, and municipal administrations to continue providing senior citizens and disabled people with other public facilities such as at railway stations, bus stations, and other public places.
"It is unethical if the elderly and disabled also have to jostle or struggle in the crowds at railway stations and bus terminals to get into a train or bus. Let us respect them by giving them greater convenience as the implementation of social justice for all people," the president said.
The head of state noted that the number of elderly in the country had continued to increase every year. The figure was 5.3 million in 1970 but rose to 19.5 million in 2008.
According to the president, the increase in the number of elderly people indicated that national development had produced tangible results. An increase in a people`s life expectancy rate also signified a higher prosperity level, he said.
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