Jakarta, April 13 -- The Ministry of Social Affairs said it is mulling over the possibility of expanding social assistance this year as part of an economic stimulus scheme amid global economic uncertainty stemming from the Middle East tensions.

Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf said discussions on the economic stimulus, including the option of expanding social assistance, are still at an early stage in the form of simulations and inter-ministerial coordination.

"There have been preliminary discussions, but no decision has been made. We are still at the simulation stage to formulate an economic stimulus," he said after a meeting with the Head of the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) at the ministry's office here on Monday.

The stimulu...