APBN, APBD, do not distribute it too much to departments.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The state budget (APBN) and regional budgets (APBD) must be used for development programs rather than making large allocations to government agencies, President Joko Widodo has said.

He emphasized that budget allocation to related agencies will not produce concrete development programs.

"APBN, APBD, do not distribute it too much to departments," he said while opening the 2023 National Civil Service Corps Meeting of the Republic of Indonesia (Korpri) in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Raising budget allocations for each department in small increments — say, 5 percent — would increase the burden on the exchequer, as it will require an increase in the APBD, he explained.

Therefore, he asked that the design of APBN and APBD allocations be focused on programs such as building reservoirs in districts or adding reservoirs every year.

"Not all agencies have the same increase of five percent in budget; if there is a budget increase later, all of them will also increase five percent. There must be priorities. Which one should come first, which one should be our priority scale?" he asked.

Widodo said that he understands budget allocations, considering his experience as a bureaucrat, which has involved his holding posts ranging from mayor to governor to president.

"I experienced it because I was mayor and governor. Now I am president. So, I really understand what the situation on the ground is like," he added.

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Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Puan Maharani, last week said that she expects the 2024 State Budget — the last budget to be tabled by President Widodo's administration — to bring benefits to the people.

She delivered the statement here last Thursday during the House's 6th plenary meeting for the first period of the 2023–2024 session year. The meeting promulgated the 2024 State Budget Bill.

"It is expected to solve the ongoing problems that are still not addressed. We hope that this state budget is for and useful for the people," she said.

It is hoped that the 2024 State Budget can be used for the government's priority programs until the end of President Widodo's term, she added.

"After being passed, we hoped that the 2024 state budget implementation is of justice and is prioritized for President Jokowi's priority programs until his administration ends in October 2024," she said.

The House Speaker further said that she expects the 2024 State Budget to maintain the fiscal capability for carrying out the national development agenda, government public services, and national strategic programs.

"The well-being concept in the 2024 State Budget must be a reference for all ministries and agencies in proposing their budget in the coming fiscal year," she added.

To that end, she pointed out that all ministries or agencies must pursue quality programs in the 2024 fiscal year so that the impact of the state budget allocation can be felt by beneficiaries.

"The well-being-focused budget must show the state budget's performance with the goal of improving people's welfare," she said.

She also emphasized that the DPR and the government must build synergy to ensure the realization of fiscal, monetary, and real sector policies to maintain economic stability.

"The House of Representatives and the government will jointly implement this state budget," she affirmed.

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Translator: Mentari D, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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