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Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare: Number of Poor to Increase 5-10 Percent
Thursday, 29 September, 2005 | 07:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:It is expected that the number of poor families will increase by between 5 and 10 percent from the original assumption of 15.5 million families.

This increase, said Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab, was due to the possibility of data missing or not yet gathered by the Statistics Central Agency (BPS).

“After this has been verified, any missing data must be included immediately,” said Shihab after opening the Public Consultation Forum on the Reduction of Fuel Subsidy Compensation at Bidakara Hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday (28/09).

However, the Coordinating Minister said, there could still also be a decrease in the number of poor families.

Shihab cited what happened in Manggarai Selatan district where, after verification, 10 percent of the recorded number was not entitled to receive the funds.

Regarding the possibility of an increased budget if there is an increase in the number of poor families, the government will discuss this with the House of Representatives (DPR).

“There must be breakthroughs. We will think about this later on,” added Shihab. (Suryani Ika Sari-Tempo News Room)