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Crash leaves thousands without welfare assistance
Around 6,000 low-income residents in Pegunungan Bintang regency have missed out on Prosperous Family Savings Program (PSKS) funds following the crash of a Trigana Air plane carrying Rp 6
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round 6,000 low-income residents in Pegunungan Bintang regency have missed out on Prosperous Family Savings Program (PSKS) funds following the crash of a Trigana Air plane carrying Rp 6.5 billion (US$468,000) in cash for the program on Sunday.
Jayapura Post Office head Haryono told journalists at the Indonesian Air Force Base in Sentani that the Rp 6.5 billion from the Social Affairs Ministry was to be distributed to 6,000 low-income residents in eight districts across Pegunungan Bintang regency.
The funds were being transported by four Jayapura Post Office personnel who were travelling on the Trigana aircraft when it crashed in Bape, a village between Oksob and Seram districts, at 2:55 p.m. local time on Sunday.
The four post officers on the flight were Agustinus Luarmase, MN Aragay, Teguh Warisman Sani and Yustinus Hurulean.
'Four treasurers from the Jayapura Post Office were on the Trigana Air flight. It was planned that they would distribute the PSKS funds to 6,000 people representing families targeted by the benefits program. Each family was to receive Rp 600,000,' said Haryono.
He explained that initially, the funds were to be handed over symbolically to Pegunungan Bintang regent Wellinton Wenda during a ceremony to celebrate the 70th Indonesian Independence Day in Oksibil, on Monday.
Of the four post officers, Haryono said, only Teguh was not listed on Trigana's passenger log. 'Pak Tegus was not on the flight booking list because he replaced Pak Dewa Putu Raka, who cancelled his trip due to a family event,' he said.
Haryono said the money was packed in four bags. 'We had reported to both Pegunungan Bintang administration and the Pegunungan Bintang Police that there was that amount of money on the plane,' he said.
Head of state-owned postal firm PT Pos Indonesia's regional division XI for Papua and West Papua, Agus Budi Satrio, said that it was necessary to bring such a huge amount of money to Oksibil in cash.
'We have always brought cash to Oksibil because there is simply not that amount of cash available in the area,' he said, adding that his office would first focus its attention on its officers and the search and rescue operation.
Adi Kadi, head of Trigana's cargo division at Sentani Airport, Jayapura, said the airline was not aware that there was Rp 6.5 billion in cash on the ill-fated aircraft.
'We didn't know that there was such a huge amount of money on the plane. It should have been reported to Trigana. Moreover, [the money] belonged to the state. Therefore, this is not our responsibility,' said Adi. (ebf) (++++)
