LAST week was not a happy one for the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). Their employees in Surabaya, Solo, Semarang, Mataram, and Makassar were flooded with questions and even abuse by people who did not get a share of the Rp100,000 monthly direct cash subsidies (SLT) allocated for the poor.

The direct subsidy replaces the old one in the form of low fuel prices. The intention is to maintain the poors buying power. So that they can pay for their