Banjarmasin Social Agency to prioritize shelter

Mayor Ibnu Sina touches the head of a child in the shelter house. (Antaranews Kalsel/Hasan Z)

So all sides must be looked at and repaired, the physical building and welfare of residents and keepers there,

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Head of the Banjarmasin Social Agency Iwan Ristianto said he would prioritize the improvement of shelter for residents with social and community problems (PMKS).

Iwan Ristianto stated his commitment after being inaugurated by Mayor H Ibnu Sina as head of the Banjarmasin Social Agency, replacing Esya Zain, who served as Secretary of the Banjarmasin DPRD, at City Hall on Monday.

"I will continue the agency head's program before, one of the priorities is to repair shelters," he said.

According to Iwan, who previously served as Head of Government Administration (Tapem), his superiors, in this case the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, ordered to make improvements to the shelter as well as possible.

Moreover, repairs to the shelter for fostering street children, beggars, vagabonds and people who are mentally ill, have been budgeted for in the 2019 budget.

"About Rp1 billion of the existing budget, we maximize its use until the shelter is truly feasible," he said.

"Including the fulfillment of food nutrition for its residents, especially the mentally ill people, they are quite a lot," said Iwan.

Likewise the fulfillment of welfare standards for the keepers, because their work to take care of the residents is very heavy.

"So all sides must be looked at and repaired, the physical building and welfare of residents and keepers there," he said.