Temasek Foundation joins hands with Bank DBS Indonesia to provide food aid to daily wage workers and people affected by COVID-19 pandemic | Bahasa

Indonesia.05 Jun 2020.3 min read

About 70,000 meal packages are distributed through the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union (KSBSI) and Foodbank of Indonesia (FOI)


Indonesia, 05 Jun 2020 - Temasek Foundation (TF) is partnering with Bank DBS Indonesia to provide meal packages for daily wage workers and people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to meet their daily needs. The symbolic handover of assistance from Temasek Foundation and DBS Indonesia on 4 June 2020 through video conference was witnessed by the Embassy of Singapore.

The aid will be channeled through Foodbank of Indonesia (FOI) and the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union (KSBSI). The aid consists of 3,700 meal packages, distributed through FOI, and 1,400 staple needs packages, equivalent to more than 66,000 meal packages, distributed through the KSBSI. The aid will be distributed in Jakarta and West Java provinces.

"These are difficult times. It is more important now than ever for countries, societies, and communities to pull together to overcome the common challenges posed by COVID-19. In this context, this collaboration between TF and DBS Indonesia brings together two entities that each have a very commendable track record of actively working with communities in Indonesia. Today’s contributions from TF and DBS Indonesia also exemplifies the gotong royong spirit, and will complement efforts by other businesses and community organisations in Indonesia, including those with links to Singapore, to help Indonesians affected by COVID-19," said Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Indonesia H.E Anil Kumar Nayar.

The collaboration between Bank DBS Indonesia and various parties is expected to encourage other parties to step forward to help people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. "DBS Group’s 'Stronger Together' spirit was translated through mutual cooperation and sharing to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, let’s donate to daily wage workers who are facing severe challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic," said President Director of PT Bank DBS Indonesia, Paulus Sutisna.

"In such uncertain times, we need to stay united and work together to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to emerge stronger. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Bank DBS Indonesia, Foodbank of Indonesia, and the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union on this meaningful programme, and we hope our collective efforts can go some way to ease the burden of communities going through difficult times," said Temasek Foundation International Chief Executive Benedict Cheong.

As the biggest labour union in Indonesia, the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union plays an important role in maintaining the well-being of Indonesia’s workers. "We greatly appreciate and feel honoured by the trust placed by Temasek Foundation and Bank DBS Indonesia in us to distribute basic needs and meal packages to garment workers who have lost their income due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union President Elly Rosita Silaban.

On a similar note, Founder of Foodbank of Indonesia, Hendro Utomo, said, "Temasek Foundation and Bank DBS Indonesia’s support has greatly assisted those who are now losing their jobs or who are currently less interested in their merchandise. Thank you for the trust that was given to FOI who is striving to open access to food for the lowest population so that they get basic rights to food and work well. That's the essence of the movement Mereka Butuh Kita that we voiced. This also serves as a model of neighborly collaboration between the Singaporean people represented by the Temasek Foundation, the private sector represented by Bank DBS Indonesia, and CSOs such as FOI for the Indonesian people, to jointly manage current and future social issues.”

Bank DBS Indonesia also invites all customers to take part in making donations through Yayasan Benih Baik Indonesia. Bank DBS Indonesia will match the donation with a maximum amount of Rp1,000,000 per donation. The fund will be used to procure food packages for daily wage workers through KSBSI. Customers who want to participate can visit https://www.benihbaik.com/campaign/dbsdonasi until 30 June. Earlier in May, Bank DBS Indonesia donated SGD2.5 million, equivalent to 26.2 billion Rupiah through medical equipments and food packages to help the government fight against COVID-19. The medical equipments distributed through the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment. The donation programmes organised by Bank DBS Indonesia are incorporated in the "DBS Stronger Together Fund" campaign.


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About DBS

DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world.

Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker and “Best Bank in the World” by Global Finance. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 11 consecutive years from 2009 to 2019.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 28,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.