THE GARUT GATE: COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SOCIAL AID TURMOIL, AND GOVERNMENT WARFARE

Abstract

This research purposes to examine the cause of the delay and the reason of the inequality in allocating the direct cash aid (BLT) in Garut District, Indonesia. This study also focuses attention to seek the solution towards the BLT problems by benchmarking to other local governments. The qualitative research strategy was employed to fulfill the objectives adhering to the paradigm of interpretivism. Research data were collected through literature review and unstructured interviews. The source triangulation procedures were applied by matching the interviews results with secondary data from the media. The results showed that the BLT distribution problems in Garut District were effectuated by inaccurate and dynamic data. The main problem of the Garut BLT was that there was no macro policy regarding the distribution of social assistance and integrated applications that can help the data collection process. By benchmarking to Sumedang District administration, we can postulate the solving against the Garut BLT problem, which is making macro policies regarding the distribution of social assistance as well as integrated data center applications. This study discusses the mechanisms and constraints of one type of social assistance, namely the BLT in the Garut District. The research also sheds a light on the conundrum of the BLT distribution in local government. This article could be an input and suggestion for the local government in implementing the distribution of direct money aid in the context of handling COVID-19 outbreak.