If the budget disbursement is still low, I make a call immediately and directly reprimand the minister or the head of the institution
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) claimed to be monitoring the realization of the ministry and/or agency budget on a daily basis and vowed to directly take to task related ministers over low budget disbursement.

"I have ordered all ministries and institutions to spend the existing budget, and I monitor it every day," President Jokowi remarked during a visit to the COVID-19 Handling Command Post in Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday.

President Jokowi spoke of keeping tabs on the amount of budget disbursement of every ministry and state agency on a daily basis.

The head of state emphasized that if the realization of the budget absorption did not align with his expectations, he will immediately contact the minister and the head of the relevant institution to notify them and issue a warning to this end.

"If the budget disbursement is still low, I make a call immediately and directly reprimand the minister or the head of the institution," he affirmed.

The head of state highlighted the need for such measure to ensure that ministry’s budget disbursements can be expedited, thereby contributing to an increase in money supply and stimulating the economy.

The president pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had worsened liquidity woes and impacted the people's economy.

"Do not allow the decrease in the level of money in circulation to further continue. We must continue to push these expenditures, so that the circulation of money in the community can increase," President Jokowi noted.

Earlier, during the cabinet plenary session on June 18, Jokowi had strongly rebuked ministers and leaders of state institutions deemed slow in realizing the COVID-19 handling policy.

The head of state also alluded to the cabinet reshuffle option in front of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet Ministers.

"It can (lead to) dissolution of institutions and (cabinet) reshuffles. My thoughts have gone everywhere. If the need arises, perhaps issue another government decree in place of the state law (Perppu," President Jokowi stated in a video uploaded through the YouTube channel of the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, June 28.

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Translator: Indra Arief Pribadi/Aria Cindy
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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