Seputarkarawang.com - Karawang, Commission IV DPRD Karawang Regency issued sharp criticism towards the policy of the Karawang Population Control and Family Planning Service (DPPKB) regarding the budget allocation for credit procurement of IDR 5.6 billion. Secretary of Commission IV Karawang DPRD, Asep Syaripudin, assessed that this fantastic figure has the potential to be a waste of the state budget. According to him, the allocation sourced from the 2026 BKKBN Special Allocation Fund (DAK) shows the reverse logic of thinking in efforts to accelerate the reduction of stunting rates in the regions, because it prioritizes administrative costs over direct nutritional interventions.The legislature urges the DPPKB to carry out a total evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of these funds. Asep emphasized that handling the problem of malnutrition and stunting should be carried out with concrete steps that have direct contact with the community, such as providing additional food (PMT) or providing a protein source in the form of eggs for toddlers. The focus on purchasing credit for data verification and validation is considered inconsistent with the spirit of budget efficiency which is being promoted, especially in the midst of the urgency of handling maternal and child health.Responding to this criticism, the Head of the Karawang DPPKB, Imam Al Husaeri Bahanan, clarified that the budget of Rp. 5,637,000,000 was indeed allocated for the credit replacement burden of the Family Assistance Team (TPK). In the General Procurement Plan Information System (SiRUP), this budget is intended to support the operations of 5,637 assistant cadres in the field. Imam explained that the funds were sent directly by the cellular operator to the cadres as compensation for the task of monitoring families at risk of stunting throughout the Karawang area.
Each cadre is scheduled to receive a credit incentive of IDR 100 thousand per month for ten months of work. This incentive is given as technical support for cadres tasked with accompanying prospective brides, pregnant women, mothers giving birth, and monitoring toddlers. The DPPKB argues that credit is a vital component because all assistance results must be input digitally into the BKKBN RI's ELSIMIL (Electronic Ready to Get Married and Pregnant) application to ensure the validity of national data in real-time.Even though it aims to digitize data, Commission IV still views the budget portion as too unequal when compared to nutritional logistics needs in the field. "Handling stunting is not just about inputting data into an application, but how to ensure that toddlers get proper nutritional intake," stressed Asep. This debate has re-raised the issue of the importance of synchronizing central ministry programs with the real needs of the people in the regions so that the budget disbursed is not spent on bureaucratic channels and digital administration alone.In the future, the Karawang DPRD is asking for transparency and an audit of the effectiveness of using the ELSIMIL application in reducing the real stunting rate in Karawang Regency. If the use of credit worth billions of rupiah is not directly proportional to the reduction in stunting prevalence, then this policy is deemed to need to be revised in the next fiscal year. This polemic is in the public spotlight as a reminder that every government agency should be wiser in prioritizing the allocation of funds for the benefit of the wider community.
