Sri Mulyani Confesses The Heavy Tasks Of 2022-2024: IKN Development, 3 Percent Deficit, And Preparing The Election Budget

JAKARTA - The task of budgeting is likely to be even more difficult for the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani in the next few years. This is because there are a number of national strategic agendas that must receive full support from state finances.

One of the most recent is related to the government's plan to start massive development in the National Capital City (IKN) following the passing of the IKN Law today by the parliament.

Earlier in early January, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that the government had started to think about organizing the 2024 general election, which of course had consequences for budget allocation.

In fact, 2022 is the last period of widening the budget deficit above 3 percent as mandated by Law Number 2 of 2020 concerning State Finances. So of course this year is the momentum that determines the success of all the government's big plans.

This was also stated by the Minister of Finance when holding a press conference at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta today.

"This means that in 2022 to 2024, handling Covid, economic recovery, holding elections, and IKN are all in the APBN that we design. At the same time, the budget deficit of a maximum of 3 percent will begin to be enforced again in 2023 and all of this is attempted to be maintained," he said, Tuesday, January 18.

According to the Minister of Finance, from a series of important agendas, the government still prioritizes protecting citizens from the threat of COVID-19.

"Of course, in economic recovery, as we did in 2020 and 2021, it still consists of the Covid handler group as the most important because this is the main condition for recovering, then social assistance to the community," he said.

For information, after the enactment of the IKN Law, the government plans to include the National Capital Development budget as part of the 2022 National Economic Recovery (PEN) program.

Meanwhile, a detailed discussion of the budget for the 2024 general election will be held in the second semester of 2022.

As for the budget deficit, the government only has the opportunity until this year to get a state budget 'lack of' dispensation above 3 percent, starting in 2020. Later in 2023, the state treasurer must draw up the APBN with the provision that the deficit cannot exceed 3 percent of GDP (gross domestic product).